Memphis News: STEM Dreams in Orange Mound, Greenway Progress, and a City Rebuilding Together
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- 2 hours ago
- 7 min read
By Dr. Layne McDonald, Founder of Memphis News with a Purpose Beat: Good News Friday, August 21, 2026
Direct Answer First
Memphis is seeing several signs of community investment at once: a planned Orange Mound STEM Center is nearing opening, the Wolf River Greenway has reached 16 of its planned 26 miles, the Hyde Family Foundation has announced more than $3 million in grants: including $1.53 million for education: and supporters are renewing the conversation about bringing the Mid-South Coliseum back to life.
These developments are different in size and purpose, but they share one question: Can Memphis build a stronger future through cooperation, wise stewardship, and a commitment to every neighborhood? The Christian answer begins with humility, truth, service, and peacemaking.
A City Building for the Next Generation
Orange Mound STEM Center aims to open doors
Community partners are preparing a new STEM opportunity in Orange Mound through Red Zone Ministries, with support described for this edition as coming from the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
The planned center is expected to give young students free access to hands-on learning in robotics, coding, engineering, digital literacy, and related fields. That kind of access matters because curiosity is often present long before resources are.
The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation’s STEM program describes a turnkey model that can include programmable robots, engineering kits, drones, tablets, 3D printers, lesson plans, mentor training, and innovation challenges. TVA also supports STEM education through community and school initiatives.
The specific Orange Mound opening schedule and final facility details should be confirmed by Red Zone Ministries and its funding partners as the project moves toward launch. That transparency is important. Good news should be hopeful, but it should also be verifiable.
The larger promise is clear: students who can build, test, code, repair, and solve problems are practicing more than technical skills. They are learning perseverance.
“Access can turn curiosity into a calling.”
That is a lesson parents, churches, schools, nonprofits, and businesses can all understand. A child does not need to be labeled “gifted” before being given a chance to discover what God has placed within them.
The Wolf River Greenway Is Becoming a Shared Path
Sixteen miles complete, with ten more planned
The Wolf River Greenway expansion is also moving forward. Action News 5 reported that 16 miles are complete, stretching through parts of Memphis and into Germantown and Collierville. The full vision calls for 26 miles connecting more than 22 neighborhoods.
The Wolf River Conservancy’s Greenway page describes the project as a 12-foot-wide paved pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists. It also identifies the effort as a public-private partnership involving the Wolf River Conservancy, Memphis Parks, and Shelby County.
One detail deserves careful explanation: the Conservancy’s webpage currently lists 14 miles open to the public, while the newer television report states that 16 miles have been completed. The difference may reflect the timing of updates or different definitions of completed and open segments. Readers can consult the Conservancy’s interactive map for current trail information before planning a visit.
Wolf River Conservancy Executive Director Erik Houston expressed the project’s broad goal:
“My hope for the Wolf River Greenway and the community as a whole is that every Memphian has access to the beautiful green spaces around them.”
That vision connects public health, recreation, environmental stewardship, and neighborhood access. A greenway is not simply a trail. It can become a place where families walk, neighbors meet, children learn about nature, and residents experience parts of their city that may otherwise remain out of reach.
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). Sometimes that encouragement happens in a sanctuary. Sometimes it happens on a shared path.
Philanthropy Investing in People and Places
Hyde grants touch education, arts, public spaces, civics, and safety
The Hyde Family Foundation announced more than $3 million in its first 2026 funding cycle for 23 Memphis community partners.
More than half of that funding: $1.53 million across nine education grants: supports schools, teacher preparation, extended learning, workforce pathways, and education leadership. Recipients include CodeCrew, Memphis Teacher Residency, Facing History and Ourselves, the University of Memphis Foundation, and other local partners.
The remaining grants support several other areas:
Arts and culture: Beale Street Caravan, Indie Memphis, Music Export Memphis, Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, and Young Actors Guild.
Neighborhoods and public spaces: Binghampton Development Corporation, Memphis River Parks Partnership, and MyCityRides.
Leadership and civic pride: City Leadership, Junior Achievement, Memphis Challenge, Tennessee Nonprofit Network, and the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis.
Public safety: Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Hyde Family Foundation Chair and CEO Barbara Hyde summarized the foundation’s educational focus:
“Every student in Memphis deserves a great school, strong teachers, and leadership that puts students first.”
Grant announcements are encouraging, but grants are not magic. They are investments that require responsible administration, measurable outcomes, community participation, and continued support. The real test is whether children learn more, neighborhoods become healthier, cultural institutions become stronger, and residents gain genuine opportunity.
Scripture gives a practical standard: “Do not forget to do good and to share with others” (Hebrews 13:16). Sharing resources is a beginning. Faithful tending is what helps those resources produce lasting fruit.
The Mid-South Coliseum: Vision Meets Stewardship
Supporters want preservation; skeptics want a workable plan
The Mid-South Coliseum revival conversation is more complicated.
The historic arena, which opened in 1964 and closed in the mid-2000s, has remained dormant for roughly two decades. Supporters see a landmark with cultural memory and the potential to become a multiuse destination connected to Liberty Park. The Mid-South Coliseum Conservancy has told local leaders that private investors have pledged approximately 30% to 40% of the development goal and is seeking city buy-in for further study and planning.
The Commercial Appeal reported that Corey Strong, a co-founder of the conservancy, asked the City Council for a vote of confidence as the organization works with architecture firm LRK on an initial study.
Strong’s argument is that continued delay carries a cost:
“Every day we wait, we’re losing money on that property.”
Supporters believe private investment could reduce the burden on taxpayers while preserving a meaningful part of Memphis history. The Coliseum Coalition’s development materials outline a possible path toward modernization and reuse.
Skeptics, however, are right to ask hard questions. What is the complete cost? Who will pay for structural repairs, accessibility upgrades, insurance, maintenance, security, and operations? What public commitments would be required? Can projected revenue support the building over time? And should the city prioritize this property over schools, public safety, roads, parks, or other needs?
At this point, no final redevelopment plan has been adopted. The responsible position is neither automatic demolition nor automatic approval. Memphis can honor history while requiring a credible business plan, public accountability, and clear protections for taxpayers.
“Vision deserves a hearing; stewardship deserves a plan.”
Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” That verse does not require avoiding disagreement. It calls us to disagree without contempt and to pursue truth without turning every civic question into a personal battle.
Christian Takeaway
Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem one section at a time, with different families and workers sharing responsibility for a common good. Memphis is not Jerusalem, and civic projects are not substitutes for the gospel. Still, the principle is useful: communities become stronger when people bring different gifts to a shared responsibility.
A STEM center invests in minds. A greenway invests in health and connection. Philanthropic grants invest in people and institutions. A Coliseum debate asks how a city should steward its inheritance. Each project requires more than enthusiasm. Each requires truth, patience, sacrifice, and accountability.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Peacemaking means helping Memphis move from suspicion toward constructive conversation.
How to Pray/Engage
Pray for students in Orange Mound to receive safe, excellent, and accessible learning opportunities.
Pray for the Greenway’s planners, builders, conservators, and public officials to protect both people and the environment.
Pray that grant funding produces measurable benefits for Memphis families.
Ask city leaders to evaluate the Coliseum with courage, transparency, and wise stewardship.
Engage constructively: attend public meetings, review project documents, support trustworthy nonprofits, and listen to neighbors who experience these projects differently.
For more faith-and-reason conversations, read Can Faith Be Rational in a Scientific Age?. For local education coverage, see Memphis teachers receive a back-to-school thank-you.
Peacemaker’s Perspective
Memphis does not need every resident to agree on every project. It needs residents willing to tell the truth, reject caricatures, ask good questions, and keep working for the good of their neighbors.
The peacemaker celebrates progress without exaggerating it. The peacemaker recognizes risk without mocking hope. The peacemaker understands that a city is rebuilt not only through budgets and buildings, but through trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is planned for the Orange Mound STEM Center?
The planned center is expected to offer young students free, hands-on opportunities in robotics, coding, engineering, and related STEM subjects through Red Zone Ministries and partner support. The final opening date and facility details should be confirmed through the participating organizations.
How much of the Wolf River Greenway is complete?
A recent Action News 5 report states that 16 of the planned 26 miles are complete. The Wolf River Conservancy’s website currently lists 14 miles open, so residents should check the Conservancy’s interactive map for the latest segment information.
How much did the Hyde Family Foundation award in 2026?
The foundation announced more than $3 million to 23 Memphis community partners in its first 2026 funding cycle. Of that amount, $1.53 million across nine grants was directed to education.
Is the Mid-South Coliseum revival approved?
No final redevelopment plan has been adopted. The Mid-South Coliseum Conservancy is seeking city support for further study and reports private investor pledges covering approximately 30% to 40% of its development goal. City officials and residents still must evaluate costs, operations, public obligations, and community benefits.
A Specific Next Step
Choose one practical act this week: encourage a Memphis student, explore a Greenway segment, support a trusted local nonprofit, or read the Coliseum plan before forming an opinion. Then share this article with someone who wants Memphis to grow through truth, service, and peace.
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