Bob Duryea has been selected as the 2018 Alliance Public Schools Foundation Wall of Fame recipient.  Bob graduated from Alliance High School in 1952 and then from Chadron State College in 1956.  In addition to graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Education, he later earned both a Master's and a Specialist Degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 

Throughout Bob’s career, he worked in various capacities in education, including superintendent, principal, coach, and teacher.  In 1970, Bob was hired by the Alliance Public Schools as the Business Manager and maintained that position until his retirement in 1989.  
After he retired from Alliance Public Schools, he graciously accepted the principal position at Saint Agnes Academy for one year when they were unable to find a worthy candidate.  

While at APS, he served as President of the State Business Manager's Association.  As the President of the State Business Manager’s Association in 1981, he felt the need for a project.  The goal of the project was to teach and mentor future business managers and emphasize a new method for rescuing and expanding funds.  Over time, he invited others to join the project, and everyone he asked was more than happy to get involved, thus creating the Alliance Public Schools Foundation.  Even up until his retirement, he actively sought out community members and colleagues to join the foundation.   

Bob has always been involved in his community and served in the United States Army.  For many years, he was an active lector and member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the American Legion, the Elks, the Eagles, and the Secretary of the State Traveler’s Protection Agency for 15 years, as well as the President for 2 terms at the state level. Bob and his wife Joanie, who was also a pillar in Alliance’s educational community, were named Alliance’s Grand Marshals for the community’s Heritage Days celebration.

Bob has been and is an advocate for education, and his lineage runs deep in Alliance Public Schools.  All three of his daughters graduated from Alliance public schools, as did five of his grandkids.  He also has great-grandkids who either attend or will attend Alliance Public Schools. 

Bob Duryea is a more-than-deserving recipient of this honor because of his dedication to education over the years, his involvement in our community, his financial foresight that made Alliance Public Schools a stable financial entity for many years, and his role as the founder of the Alliance Public Schools Foundation. Donated to Alliance Santa’s Helpers. Stephanie serves on the Carnegie Arts Board of Directors. She has been a member of Box Butte Art Society since 1996 and currently serves as Treasurer. Stephanie is an Alliance Chamber of Commerce member. She is also a big supporter by donating to local fundraisers, benefits, 4-H, and school functions.

Stephanie is a Certified Professional Photographer. She received her Master of Photography Degree from PPA in January of 2009. She is only one of two to earn this degree in Western Nebraska (Glen Worley is the other). The Master of Photography Degree is awarded after twenty-five merits have been earned, which may include further education and/or scoring eighty points or more in competition prints entered in Regional competitions. Three of Stephanie’s competition prints were accepted into the General & Loan Collection of the 117th International Exhibition of Professional Photographers. Other awards she has earned are 1st Place Child Portrait non-master in the 4-state region, Judges' Choice, Kodak Gallery Award-her work went on to the International level to compete for the Gallery Elite Award, Ed Arnold Award, and Best Portrait of Show in Nebraska. Stephanie also received the Alliance Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award in 2010.

Her print “Frostbite” was published in PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER in October 2004. She has had three of her prints published in the PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF AMERICA SHOWCASE books, “Daddies Little Angel” and “Innocence Holds onto Wisdom” Volume III-2000; “Junkyard Dogs” Volume IV-2001. Three of her prints were published in the PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF AMERICA LOAN COLLECTION Books, “Starting with St. Andrews” Volume V-2002; “Frostbite” Volume VI-2003; “I Know You’re There” Volume XI-2008.

Mantooth has already accomplished many of her goals for the studio. “The expansion was a huge goal and has been in the back of my mind ever since we moved the studio from 3rd street”, she stated. The addition to the studio included a classroom, a larger camera room, and space for all the scrapbooking supplies offered. In the future, the studio plans to offer more art classes for adults and hopes to start a youth camera club as well. The goal over the summer is to start that.

When asked what advice she could offer current Alliance High School students to become successful in their future, she replied, “Don’t let anything limit you; anything is possible if you try hard enough. When I first started the studio, I can’t even tell you how many people came in and said there was no way I was going to make it. I guess I’ve proved them wrong so far. It’s far more than I could have ever imagined I would do.”