Memphis News: Orange Mound STEM Center in Memphis Nears Opening with Free Robotics, Coding and Engineering Programs
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- 5 minutes ago
- 7 min read
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By Dr. Layne McDonald, Founder of Memphis News with a Purpose
Direct Answer First
A new Orange Mound STEM Center is nearing its opening and is being prepared to offer children free, hands-on opportunities in robotics, coding, and engineering. The center is supported by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and the Tennessee Valley Authority through Red Zone Ministries, with volunteers putting the finishing touches on the facility on Aug. 19.
Organizers told FOX13 Memphis reporter Kate Bieri that the center may open in a couple of weeks. An exact opening date, registration process, daily schedule, and capacity were not provided in the report.
The developing center is part of a broader Memphis learning ecosystem that already includes coding and circuitry activities at the Orange Mound Library, hands-on physics at Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, college and career aspirations at East High School, and an artificial intelligence degree pathway at Southwest Tennessee Community College.
“A spark can become a calling.”
What center will offer
The new center is designed to help elementary-age children encounter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through direct experience rather than observation alone.
According to FOX13 Memphis’ Aug. 19 report, the Orange Mound facility will include engineering, robotics, and coding tools. The hope is that children can visit Red Zone Ministries at no cost, explore technology, and begin imagining themselves in future technology careers.
Althea Jones, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s director of stakeholder and community engagement, said early exposure can help students enter high school already familiar with important concepts.
That point matters. A child who has handled a circuit, built a basic robot, or solved a design problem may begin to see science and math as more than subjects in a textbook. These experiences can make learning feel tangible, creative, and connected to real life.
The center is not yet open, however. Volunteers were still completing the space on Wednesday, Aug. 19, and organizers said opening could be a couple of weeks away. Families should watch for official announcements before making plans.
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A neighborhood ecosystem
The Orange Mound STEM Center is encouraging because it does not stand alone. FOX13’s reporting described several places where Memphis students are already finding opportunities to explore STEM subjects.
Orange Mound Library: coding, circuitry, and a 3D printer
At the Orange Mound Library, colorful educational tools help children learn the foundations of coding and circuitry. The library also has a 3D printer available for free experimentation.
Caitlin Prilliman, an Orange Mound librarian, described the experience as a spark that allows children to use their creativity and perhaps create something “wildly unique and useful.”
That is an important vision for a neighborhood library. It is not only a place to read about the world; it can also be a place where children begin building, testing, revising, and creating within it.
FOX13 reported that the library’s STEM tools were also made possible by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and TVA.
Maxine Smith STEAM Academy: learning by doing
At Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, middle school students studied physics by constructing a paper structure capable of supporting the weight of five textbooks.
The project gave students a chance to apply principles they might otherwise encounter only on paper. STEM and math teacher Melanie Lynch told FOX13, “You can see it on paper, you can read about it, but until you actually touch and feel it and breathe it, it doesn’t connect, it doesn’t make sense.”
Her observation also identifies a challenge: many children do not receive enough exposure to hands-on learning. A new center cannot solve every educational gap by itself, but it can help create another doorway.
East High School: aspirations connected to Memphis
The pathway continues into high school. FOX13 highlighted East High students with ambitious goals.
Erik discussed hopes of attending Stanford University, pursuing a pre-med track, and eventually attending medical school after interning at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Peyton described an interest in international business, marketing, travel, and working abroad. Carlos mentioned Howard, Stanford, and Purdue while expressing a desire to bring learned skills back to Memphis.
These students show that local opportunity and broad ambition do not have to compete. Memphis students can dream about studying across the country or around the world while still considering how their education might strengthen their hometown.
Southwest Tennessee Community College: opportunity in the 901
Tracy Hall, president of Southwest Tennessee Community College, told FOX13 that the Mid-South also offers meaningful options close to home. The college has what Hall described as Tennessee’s first community-college AI degree.
Hall emphasized that well-paying jobs are available in Memphis and that students should know they can build careers in the 901.
This is a balanced way to view education: students should be free to pursue opportunities wherever their gifts and goals lead, while Memphis should continue working to make local pathways strong enough to welcome them home.
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Why early exposure matters
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
That verse is not a promise that every child will follow one predetermined career. It is a reminder that formation begins early. Children need adults who notice their curiosity, encourage their questions, and give them safe opportunities to practice responsibility.
Early STEM exposure can help children develop several lasting habits:
Curiosity: asking why something works and what might happen next.
Perseverance: trying again after a design fails.
Collaboration: listening to teammates and solving problems together.
Confidence: discovering that difficult ideas can become understandable.
Purpose: seeing how knowledge can serve neighbors and improve communities.
Christian education should not treat technology as a replacement for wisdom, character, or relationships. Instead, robotics, coding, and engineering can become tools placed in the hands of young people who are being taught to use their gifts for the good of others.
Jesus Christ calls His followers to love their neighbors. In practical terms, that includes opening doors to learning, mentoring children, and helping young people recognize that their lives have value and potential.
For families, the developing center may provide one more place where children can ask questions, make mistakes, and discover new possibilities. For adults, it is a reminder that encouragement often begins with something simple: showing up and saying, “Let’s try this together.”
Christian Takeaway
The Orange Mound STEM Center represents more than equipment. It represents an investment in children who deserve access to curiosity, creativity, and opportunity.
From a Christian perspective, every child is made in the image of God and should be treated with dignity. STEM education does not replace faith in Jesus Christ; it can help young people responsibly explore the world God made and consider how their gifts might serve others.
Proverbs 22:6 challenges parents, educators, churches, and community leaders to take formation seriously. Teaching children involves more than correcting mistakes. It includes giving them experiences that develop courage, discipline, wisdom, and hope.
“There’s hope right here in Memphis.”
That statement from Southwest Tennessee Community College President Tracy Hall is both an educational observation and a community challenge. Hope becomes stronger when it is matched with action.
How to Pray/Engage
Pray for the children who will use the center, the volunteers preparing it, the educators guiding students, and the organizations making the opportunity possible.
Pray specifically for:
Wisdom and patience for mentors.
Safe, welcoming experiences for children and families.
Teachers who can connect classroom lessons to real-world applications.
Students to discover their gifts without losing sight of character and service.
Memphis employers and institutions to create pathways for trained young people.
You can also engage in practical ways:
Watch for the official opening announcement.
Encourage children to explore free STEM resources at the Orange Mound Library.
Ask schools, churches, and neighborhood organizations how adults can mentor students.
Share accurate information rather than guessing about the center’s opening date or schedule.
Follow the Memphis News with a Purpose blog for additional Memphis education and community reporting.
Peacemaker's Perspective
Peacemaking is not passive. It is the work of opening doors, reducing barriers, and helping neighbors see one another’s potential.
A STEM center can become a peacemaking space when children from the same community learn side by side, adults serve as trusted mentors, and families receive encouragement instead of being defined by limitations.
The practical question is not only, “What will this center offer?” It is also, “Who will help a child walk through the door?”
Some adults may be comfortable with robotics or coding. Others may simply be able to listen, organize supplies, encourage a student, or help a child return after a difficult day. All of those contributions matter.
A peacemaker helps create conditions where young people can grow. In Orange Mound, that may mean supporting free STEM opportunities while also honoring the parents, teachers, librarians, volunteers, and community leaders who have already been doing this work.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Orange Mound STEM Center?
It is a new community STEM center in Orange Mound being prepared to offer children free, hands-on opportunities in robotics, coding, and engineering.
2. Who is supporting the center?
The center is supported by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and the Tennessee Valley Authority through Red Zone Ministries, according to FOX13 Memphis.
3. When will the center open?
Volunteers were finishing the center on Aug. 19. Organizers said it may open in a couple of weeks, but an exact opening date was not provided.
4. Will the programs be free?
The FOX13 report said children may visit Red Zone Ministries for free STEM opportunities. Families should wait for official details about registration, hours, age requirements, and availability.
5. What other STEM opportunities are available in Memphis?
FOX13 reported that the Orange Mound Library offers free coding and circuitry activities, including access to a 3D printer. Maxine Smith STEAM Academy provides hands-on physics projects, and Southwest Tennessee Community College offers an AI degree pathway. East High School students are also pursuing technology-connected academic and career goals.
Call to Action
Watch for the Orange Mound STEM Center’s official opening announcement, encourage children to explore free STEM resources, and consider how you can mentor or support young learners. To follow Memphis stories that encourage purposeful action and learn how to support mentors, visit www.laynemcdonald.com/news-memphis.
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