In the final episode, Angie Hubbart and Alexis Wood—both returning K12 educators—reflected more broadly on their two-year experience with UCF VLP. This entailed deeply assessing how the deliverables they developed during the 2023 Institute unfolded throughout the 2023-2024 school year and how that first-year experience shaped their overall approach for year two of UCF VLP. That the signature motif of this year’s podcast series—replaying audio from last year’s conversations—was used more times than in any previous discussion proves indicative of how this episode remains intended to close the series by offering a larger mosaic of the UCF Veterans Legacy Program through the experiences of two successful and seasoned VLP educators. Sebastian concludes the series (01:05:46) by briefly recapping what we learned in the past six weeks about UCF VLP, American history, Veterans’ memorialization, and K12 education (and more).

Alexis Wood was featured in Episode Four, and Angie Hubbart was featured in Episode Eight of The 2023 UCF VLP Institute Podcast Series for those interested.

This episode was directed, produced, written, edited, and hosted by Sebastian Garcia and featured Angie Hubbart and Alexis Wood.

Executive Producers: Sebastian Garcia and Dr. Amelia Lyons.

Music: “Honor and Glory” and “Real Heroes” by SergePavkinMusic (Pixabay)

Podcast Cover Artwork: Sebastian Garcia

The 2024 UCF VLP Podcast Series is brought to you by the UCF History Department and UCF’s Veterans Legacy Program—a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration.

In Episode Four, Alecia Bryant (returning K12 educator) and Amanda Burchins (new K12 educator) primarily discussed their three deliverables (Veteran biography, mini-tour, and lesson plan) and how four days at the 2024 Institute had facilitated their further development. Alecia Bryant’s continuity with UCF VLP since 2023 allows us to examine the program from a broader perspective—such as the differences between the 2023 and 2024 editions of UCF VLP, how the three deliverables ultimately materialized in the classroom during the 2023-2024 school year and how that experience in the classroom with students shaped the approach for the 2024-2025 deliverables. Conversely, Amanda Burchins’s experience as a first-year UCF VLP participant offered a fresh perspective on the program and how the 2024 edition measured on its own two feet. Indeed, this episode excels in exploring UCF VLP through wide and narrow lenses, enabling us to get a deeper sense of the program, its objectives, outcomes, and impact.

For those interested, Alecia Bryant was featured in Episode Eight of The 2023 UCF VLP Institute Podcast Series.

This episode was directed, produced, written, edited, and hosted by Sebastian Garcia and featured Alecia Bryant and Amanda Burchins.

Executive Producers: Sebastian Garcia and Dr. Amelia Lyons.

Music: “Honor and Glory” and “Real Heroes” by SergePavkinMusic (Pixabay)

Podcast Cover Artwork: Sebastian Garcia

The 2024 UCF VLP Podcast Series is brought to you by the UCF History Department and UCF’s Veterans Legacy Program—a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration.

In Episode Three, Sergeant Major (Sgt Maj) Ray Fullard recounts his experience taking his JROTC cadets to Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. Throughout the school year, Sgt. Maj tasked his JROTC cadets to research and write a biography of a Veteran interred at Bushnell who served during the Gulf War (1990-91), Operation Enduring Freedom (2001-2014), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011). Sgt Major is a Marine Corps Veteran from those same conflicts, meaning he served—directly or indirectly—with many of the Veterans the cadets researched and visited during their trip to Bushnell. Such personal insights—and Sgt. Maj’s experience with UCF VLP last year—allows us to better understand how the deliverables and outcomes of UCF VLP ultimately materialize and why this work of honoring and memorializing Veterans' legacies proves paramount and necessary.

For those interested, Sgt. Maj Fullard was featured in Episode Five of The 2023 UCF VLP Institute Podcast Series.

This episode was directed, produced, written, edited, and hosted by Sebastian Garcia and featured Sgt. Maj Ray Fullard.

Executive Producers: Sebastian Garcia and Dr. Amelia Lyons.

Music: “Honor and Glory” and “Real Heroes” by SergePavkinMusic (Pixabay)

Podcast Cover Artwork: Sebastian Garcia

The 2024 UCF VLP Podcast Series is brought to you by the UCF History Department and UCF’s Veterans Legacy Program—a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration.