Remembering Florida’s Lost Boys

Stories of Our World War II Fallen

UCF Celebrates the Arts

Stories from the UCF Veterans Legacy Program bring to life the memory of Floridians who paid the ultimate price in service of their country and are buried in St. Augustine National Cemetery.

These stories come out of the UCF Veterans Legacy Program (VLP), a partnership with the VA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA). Based on biographies researched and written by K-12 teachers from around Florida with the help of UCF VLP student researchers, our team has transformed these biographies (available to read at https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/) into theatrical monologues that engage the audience with these stories about life, love, service and sacrifice.  Our performance brings together — with VA support – UCF’s history department, the Center for Humanities and Digital Research, Theatre UCF and the student actors of m.Studio to remind us what life was like in Florida in the early 20th century and how these young men fought and died in the cataclysm of World War II.

Hosted by the Department of History, the School of Performing Arts, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration and the Center for Humanities and Digital Research.

PROGRAM

Tonight we bring to life the memory of Floridians who paid the ultimate price in service to their country and are buried in St. Augustine National Cemetery. These stories come out of the UCF Veterans Legacy Program (VLP), a partnership with the VA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA). 

Based on biographies researched and written in 2023 by K-12 teachers from around our state with the help of UCF VLP student researchers, UCF students have transformed these biographies (which you can read on our website) into theatrical monologues and dialogues that engage the audience with these stories about life, love, service, and sacrifice.  

Our performance brings together, with VA support, the Department of History, the Center for Humanities and Digital Research, the Theatre Department, and the student actors of m.Studio to remind us what life was like in Florida in the early 20th century and how these young men fought and died in the cataclysm of World War II.

Samantha Atherton

Hannah Bender

Lily Cabrera

Sarah Jordan

Sydney Kelly

Alexi Mulvihill

Addy Pollzzie

Evelyn Prihoda

Irelyn Silvestro

Rhyse Silvestro

Lily Van Zetten

Grace Auls

Sarah Bousfield

Chris Bresciani

Leigh Green

John Lancaster

Maddie Lane

Kathryn Loesel

Isabella Love

Kirby Lee

Tyler Simons

Katherine Thurlow

Sarah Bousfield

Leigh Green

Maddie Lane

Isabella Love

Evelyn Prihoda

Katherine Thurlow

The University of Central Florida History Department and Center for Humanities and Digital Research are proud to partner with the US Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration to bring the stories of US Veterans buried in national cemeteries to life with the Veterans Legacy Program.

We would like to thank all the people who made tonight possible:

Vandy Wood

Maddie Lane 

Dr. Amelia Lyons

Dr. Amy Giroux

Dr. Barbara Gannon

John Lancaster, Isabella Love, Sarah Bousfield, Kate Prior, Melissa Rosero-Barros, Luci Meier, Katherine Thurlow, James Stoddard, Brendan Jordan, Oliver Brown, Aaron Connors 

Jessica Oldham and Katarina Monroe

UCF Department of History

UCF Theatre

m.Studio

Logos for UCF and Dr. Phillips Center
We extend particular gratitude to the staff and administration of Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for their partnership over the past ten years.

Thank You to Our Supporters

Logos for LIFE at UCF, OUC The Reliable One, Florida Arts and Culture, Downtown Orlando, Rockley Family Foundation, and Sigma Alpha Iota Philanthropies Inc.

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.

  • The Judith and David Albertson Endowment in the Arts
  • Cartwright Family Humanities & Arts Endowment
  • Phil and Jane Easterling
  • LIFE at UCF
  • Orlando Downtown Development Board
  • OUC – The Reliable One
  • Women’s Club at UCF, Inc.

Thank You to Our Festival Partners

  • Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
  • National Young Composers Challenge
  • Orlando Family Stage
  • Orlando Shakes
  • Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
  • UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences
  • UCF Global Perspectives and International Initiatives
  • UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management
  • Winter Park Institute
  • WUCF