4. "Hey Buddy, I'm Back!" | The 2024 UCF VLP Podcast Series

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.