The Bettendorf Community School District is not only proud of its current students but also of its graduates from years past. Bettendorf alumni have both stayed in the area, and moved to different communities, but one thing remains the same: bulldog pride. Bulldog Alumni in Action is a chance to read about the successes and accomplishments of Bettendorf graduates, and to reflect on the community, lifelong learning, integrity, and empowerment that the BCSD inspires.
Josh Guffey is a 2002 graduate of Bettendorf High School and has gone on to direct feature films and commercials for multiple companies, including Microsoft 365, Edward Jones, Panera Bread, Centene, Build-A-Bear, and others. After BHS, Josh went on to the University of Iowa, where he studied Cinema, Comparative Literature, and Economics. From there, he worked in Chicago, Los Angeles, and is now in the St. Louis area, working as the Senior Director of Content at Nine PBS.
His first feature film, All Gone Wrong, starring horror icon Tony Todd, was released in 2023, and is available to stream on multiple platforms, including Peacock, Tubi, and Prime Video. All Gone Wrong was an official selection of the St. Louis International Film Festival in 2021. It was also awarded the Essy Award (Best of Fest) and Best Narrative Feature at the 2022 St. Louis Filmmaker Showcase. Beyond his work for All Gone Wrong, Josh was named the Kranzberg Arts Foundation Resident Filmmaker in 2020, won a Gold Addy in 2023 for his work with Microsoft 365, and received an artist support grant from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis in 2019.
When asked about what his education in the BCSD meant to him, Josh said, “My education in Bettendorf means so much to where I am today. I owe so much of my outlook on life and just simple confidence in my abilities to the support I received from my teachers and coaches. Without it, I don't think I would have been able to go to The University of Iowa, grow my career in Chicago / LA / St. Louis, and continue to have lifelong friends that I've known since elementary school. Thank you, Bettendorf!”
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