Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Cecille Bolton.
Hi Dr. Bolton, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Greetings! I am educator, published author, storyteller, and Ms. Full Figured Georgia Swimwear 2020, Dr. Cecille Bolton, also known as Dr. Sunshine! I am a member of the first African-American sorority established for women, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. I am Reading Endorsed and have taught special needs for 18 years, serving as special education department chair, current Prekindergarten grade level chair, and Prek-3rd Grade Council member for my school district. I have a passion for theater, TV, radio, film, writing, education, and literacy. My self-created motto is “Learning is living while finding the positive in the experience.”
Entertaining others through laughter and the simplicity of positive vibes has been my passion since I was little “Sunshine.” Offering a smile, hug, a listening ear, or words of encouragement bring me absolute joy. With a background in theatre and mass communications, one of my dreams has always been to have a television show where I can do just that… have fun, entertain, and just be Cecille. I had ideas about what I wanted to do but was unsure of my exact focus.
After college (Clark Atlanta University grad… whoop whoop!), I went into education at the suggestion of my mother (retired educator), while figuring out how I would return to theatre or in front of a microphone. What was my purpose and why was teaching, now, on my journey? Fast forward a few years as a teacher of special needs, I have had the opportunity to experience a diverse population of beautiful individuals who just need people to care and make them smile. I treat the classroom as my educational stage and my students as my audience. My goal was to provide a ‘FUN’damental learning experience while also thinking about my angle for the hopeful TV show. As a result of teaching, I began to hone in on my journalistic skills (finally having a story to tell) by writing children’s books loosely based on my experiences teaching special education. My thought process began to move as I finally realized… an educational children’s TV show geared towards the inclusion of children with special needs would be perf! Yes! That’s it! Only thing is, I had no idea where to start. Onward to starting my doctoral program… still writing more children’s books… still figuring out how a TV show would come to fruition. I graduated in 2018 and took a year to de escalate (still writing children’s books) and BOOM, Covid-19 happens. What to do? I decided to use my time wisely at home, while remote teaching, to begin the TV show journey on my own… virtually… and as an outlet for overwhelmed parents while showcasing my talents… yasss queen! A bit of an “if you build it, they will come” mindset. It is amazing how your passion will create energy you had no idea existed! I learned about Zoom and other virtual platforms while transitioning to remote learning… and that my friends, was the first ticket to my personal stardom… the beginning of Dr. Sunshine Presents, LLC!
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?
This journey has felt much like a mild rollercoaster ride at times… perhaps like the Minetrain at Six Flags over Georgia… a few dips, a little bumpy during the ride, but not too many screams, just yet. Dr. Sunshine Presents: Black Children’s Authors Showcase (BCAS) has been simply wonderful! Authors have been kind, giving, and willing to allow me to showcase and read their stories on my platform with a twist of Sunshine. However, I have faced the most challenges with Dr. Sunshine Presents: Books Before Bedtime (BBB). I started this journey in June 2020 with 50 participants and gaining a following for BBB has been slow-paced ever since, but rewarding. I was ecstatic my first month, but numbers have fluctuated a bit since. I have increased from previous months, but the largest number to date was 24 registrants in January 2021.
Of course, I do understand that life happens and everyone does not always have the ability to join each month and on every Tuesday and Thursday. I have had to get pretty creative with how I attempt to reach and encourage family, friends, colleagues, and strangers to join me for storytime. BBB is free and open to those who register as I have tried to create a cozy, comfy, and personable atmosphere for my Sunshiners…the more the merrier is my goal. In October 2020, I tried something different where I randomly selected 5-8 people on my social media to send zoom links for specific evenings without requiring registration. A few joined and I was hopeful that once the parent or, even better, the child/children experienced Dr. Sunshine, the parent would be encouraged to continue tuning in. I must say I was proud as this method increased my registrants by 3-4 people (extremely appreciative). The most successful promotional platform is my social media page specific for Dr. Sunshine Presents, LLC. I include self-created flyers, cute messages, videos of me portraying different characters (my own commercials), and messages from family and friends to encourage support. Word of mouth from those who have experienced the show or by authors who I have showcased during BCAS helps tremendously as well. The most important piece is that the parents whose children have joined tend to see how much their babies enjoy the show and that is why they continue to register. I am still figuring out and brainstorming more ideas for building a larger following, but I do realize the key is to remain optimistic and to stay focused on my goal… becoming a household name.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I spend so much time focusing on other things, but I finally said, “Let’s do this!” and this is exactly what I did. I created Dr. Sunshine Presents, LLC., which includes my two literacy endeavors. Dr. Sunshine Presents Books Before Bedtime takes place each and every Tuesday and Thursday evening unless otherwise noted, via Zoom, from 6:30-7 PM EST. I bring you classic and current stories with a twist of Sunshine. I have always loved the magic and messages in children’s stories and movies. As a child, my parents and grandparents, aunts too, would read the best stories to my siblings and I every night, increasing our ability to imagine the most wonderful things, while also teaching us to critically think. As an educator, I find love bringing stories to life for my students and want to continue doing so for children around the world. What better way to start, than during a pandemic? Here is where I developed my purpose and idea for one of the TV shows I’ve always wanted.
Dr. Sunshine Presents: Black Children’s Authors Showcase initially, titled, “IG Live Pop-Up” was born on an idea I had to showcase my fellow authors. I wanted to offer a platform for all Black children’s authors (new, up and coming, or established) to share and have their stories showcased for all to hear with, indeed, a twist of Sunshine. My goal is to showcase Black children’s authors in an effort to celebrate our culture through literature. I want to help open doors for those who may not have a voice, but who need someone or something to help in their journey. Similar to the platform of Voyage ATL, I am a small entity trying to help another small business, dreamer, gem, and hidden talent that is waiting to be seen. I also use my BCAS platform to showcase and celebrate Black-Owned Businesses by wearing or showcasing their products. I believe that we must support, build up, and encourage one another to be successful. BCAS airs on IG Live, Fridays at 6 PM EST.
During this process, I was also able to publish my first children’s book, Georgia Blue, March 2021. Georgia Blue is based on the impact Georgia had on the 2020 Presidential election. I am especially proud of not only my accomplishments as an educator and author, but also my personal endeavors, including postgraduate degrees (doctorate completed in 2018), weight loss (have lost 65 lbs), and my commitment to helping others, being of service to all mankind, and remaining true to who I am.
I believe what sets me apart from others is my ability to make all (young and young at heart) feel welcomed, loved, and entertained. I take pride in making people smile and laugh, as it warms my heart to bring happiness to others. Love can be expressed in various ways and as a teacher of special needs, that notion has been magnified as, over the years, I have developed a best practice (for Cecille) for communicating with verbal and nonverbal students alike. I also convey who I am through stories adding personality and character (The twist of Sunshine? That’s it!) It has been a rewarding journey and now I am ready to embark on becoming a household name for all. I describe myself as Reading Rainbow meets Mr. Rogers with a touch of Zoobilee Zoo. I want the children of today to talk about and remember me when they grow up, in the same manner as I speak of the aforementioned from my childhood… and their children… children’s children… and so on, for years to come.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
The iMovie app, YouTube, and Instagram have been extremely helpful during this process. Additionally, I have been inspired by various showcased BCAS authors. One in particular, Karen Pessoa (IG: @camsneaker), recommended illustrator Luqman Kahn (IG: @look_man333) for Georgia Blue, and he was amazing! Georgia Blue was published in a matter of months. I would definitely recommend Mr. Kahn for illustration and publishing needs.
Pricing:
- Dr. Sunshine Presents: Black Children’s Authors Showcase. First book showcase ($20). Any additional book showcase ($10). A contract will also be provided upon confirmation.
- Georgia Blue (Children’s Book): Available via Amazon- $14.24 (paperback)/9.99 (ebook). Purchase link is also located within my Instagram bio.
Contact Info:
- Email: notlobclassics6@gmail.com
- Instagram: @drsunshinepresentsllc
- Facebook: Dr. Sunshine Presents, LLC (Public Facebook Group)
Image Credits
Image of the Sunshiner (girl) with the Happy Holiday bag- Photo Cred: Tanaka Appling. All other pics taken by Dr. Cecille Bolton/Dr. Sunshine. Also contacted parents of children pictured, for permission to include images.
