Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Bunton
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Walterboro, SC, and returned home after college to give back and work in the community that made me. I taught elementary music in the Colleton County School District for 25 years. During that time, I also co-founded the Colleton Children’s Theatre and still serve as it’s artisitic director. In 2023, I took on a new role as the Events Manager at the Colleton CIvic Center. The historic building that calls the Center home, has been a staple in the community as a school since World War II. Currently, it is a cultural center for the performing arts, studio space, and art exhibits. I am proud to be home in this community and in this building, where I first performed when I was 6 years old. I also became a adjunct professor for the local affiliate of the University of South Carolina’s Salkehatchie campus that same year. I currently teacher theater with the hopes of adding more in the near future.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Throughout my educational career, I have been an advocate for public school arts. That has been a huge challenge. So often the arts are pushed aside when so many find comfort and a community to thrive through performing or expressing themselves visually. Encouraging everyone, no matter their background, to find value in the arts and arts education is a challenge and battle I will never stop fighting. I continued this fight in the public school system through encouraging group performance opportunities as a collective elementary chorus and showcase to put students’ visual and performing arts out in the community. A great deal of planning goes into such endeavors but the result is truly inspirational. In addition, through my work with the Colleton Children’s Theatre, we faced many challenges especially during and because of covid. That was one of the toughest times for us and so many. We took an “extended intermission” to make sure we came back in a healthy manner for everyone involved. During this time, I lost my uncle and my father within 3 weeks of each other. With their losses, I had no drive to continue artistically. My father was my biggest inspiration in the performing arts and without him I was truly lost. When the decision was made to finally come back, we did so as our own non-profit. The challenges and fears of not having enough funding or interest was daunting but I could feel him pushing me to move forward for the sake of the kids and individuals in the community who needed this program so dearly. It came back slowly but over the course of a year and a half, we are back to pre-covid participants as well as supporters! No matter what the age, the lesson of never giving up is so pertinent. One we all need to be reminded of.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
25 year music educator Colleton Children’s Theatre artistic director, 25 years
Adjunct professor, University of South Carolina, Salkehatchie
Events Manager, Colleton Civic Center
My current focus is bringing all types of live entertainment to the community of Colleton and surrounding areas as the Colleton Civic Center events manager. In addition, school shows, field trip opportunities, and school programs are another passion of mine that I now get to do on a broader scale through the Center and introduce younger individuals to all of the possibilities of the arts. I am able to work with arts educators as a consultant and mentor through the Center and the COlleton Children’s Theater programming which has also expanded recently. I have also taken on the role as adjunct professor at University of South Carolina, Salkehatchie, teaching intro to Theater.
How do you think about luck?
I have been extremely blessed and lucky to find amazing support locally and statewide in my endeavors as a music educator, theater director, and now facilities manager. Connections and relationships have guided me in every avenue I’ve travelled and continue to do so. Hard work also plays a part as well as strong relationships and working within my community. I love being in the town where I was born and raised and I strive to bring opportunities to all so that maybe they will feel a bit of luck in what they have been exposed to in such a rural setting.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://colletoncivic.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colletonciviccenter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColletonCivic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDLOTlCq0S9tXgoRBtBDQcg
