RePublic Schools Celebrates Two New Playgrounds with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies at Smilow Collegiate and Revive Collegiate
Jackson, MS – RePublic Schools is proud to announce the opening of two brand-new playgrounds designed to bring joy, belonging, and growth to its scholars. On Thursday, September 11, RePublic hosted back-to-back ribbon-cutting ceremonies at Smilow Collegiate and Revive Collegiate, marking a significant investment in student well-being and community spaces. Check out the video recap here!
The celebrations featured reflections from scholars, spirited cheer performances, and official ribbon cuttings to open the playgrounds, which will serve as safe, welcoming spaces for play, creativity, and connection.
“These playgrounds are more than just new equipment—they represent our commitment to creating environments where every child feels a sense of belonging and has opportunities to thrive,” said Trey Vernaci, Chief Operating Officer of RePublic Schools. “We are grateful to our community partners and families who share in our vision of love, achievement, and belonging.”
Importantly, the two playgrounds were made possible through the support of Trey Vernaci, Kemi Alara, Laurie Alley of Moonshot Recreation, LLC, as well as families and scholars. Together, their contributions reflect RePublic’s ongoing efforts to provide high-quality educational experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
In addition, as part of the celebration, RePublic honored the Hood Family at Smilow Collegiate for their generosity, community support, and partnership. Likewise, at Revive Collegiate, the network recognized Jon Rybyka, former CEO of RePublic Schools, for his visionary leadership and role in RePublic’s expansion.
RePublic leaders, families, community partners, and scholars joined together to celebrate the new spaces, which will benefit hundreds of students for years to come.
Check out more photos from the event here!
About RePublic Schools
RePublic Schools is a network of public charter schools in Jackson, MS, and Nashville, TN, committed to reimagining public education in the South. With a focus on love, achievement, and belonging, RePublic prepares scholars to succeed in college, thrive in life, and give back to their communities.
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