MUSCATINE, Iowa - The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine recently concluded the 2026 SPARK! Towhead Island Logo Design Competition, a student-centered project that helped sixth-grade students learn about Towhead Island while exploring marketing, logo design, teamwork, and community storytelling.
Finishing its sixth consecutive summer, SPARK (Summer Program for Arts, Recreation & Knowledge) is a full-day summer learning program offered through a partnership between the Muscatine Community School District and Aligned Impact Muscatine County. SPARK provides hands-on enrichment in STEM, the arts, career exploration, and community-based learning, helping students discover new interests, build real-world skills, and make meaningful connections beyond the classroom.
Towhead Island, a 129-acre island nestled in the curve of the Mississippi River in downtown Muscatine, was gifted to the Community Foundation to support youth education, conservation, recreation, and community engagement.
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Through the logo competition, students were encouraged to think creatively about how Towhead Island could become part of Muscatine’s community identity. Over several weeks, students learned about the island and discussed how marketing helps people understand and connect with a place. They explored how color, symbols, text, and emotion shape a logo’s message, then worked in teams to develop final designs and presentations explaining their creative choices.
The program concluded with a competition day on July 14, where students presented their designs to volunteer judges. Each team shared the message behind its logo, the design elements they selected, and how their work reflected a vision for Towhead Island’s future.
Students also participated in a hands-on workshop with Muscatine Community College’s Culinary Program, gaining experience in food preparation and learning about the program’s incubator space located within the foundation’s building.
The winning logo was created by “The Amazon Shoppers” team — Lily and Tina. Their design was selected for its strong connection to Towhead Island’s history, environment, and recreational possibilities. The logo incorporates natural features such as wildlife, water, trees, and outdoor activities, emphasizing that there is “more to it than you think.”
The Community Foundation is proud of the creativity, teamwork, and courage students demonstrated throughout the program. By learning about Towhead Island and sharing their ideas through design, students contributed fresh perspective to an important community initiative and helped advance the conversation about the island’s future.
Thank you to the SPARK coordinators, AIM staff members, Muscatine Community College representatives, volunteer judges, and everyone who helped make this program possible.
The gift of Towhead Island was made possible through the generosity of a donor to the Joe W. and Betty L. Rauch Memorial Fund.
For more information about Towhead Island, call Adrianne Towe at 563-264-3863 or visit www.givinggreater.org.
Program partners
Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine is a county-wide charitable organization working to improve quality of life in Muscatine County through philanthropy. Learn more at www.givinggreater.org or call 563-264-3863.
Muscatine Community School District, serving approximately 4,500 students from preschool through 12th grade, is committed to empowering every learner through high-quality instruction, innovative experiences, and strong community partnerships. Visit www.muscatine.k12.ia.us.
Aligned Impact Muscatine County (AIM) is a grant-funded initiative that brings partners together to address key community challenges. AIM supports children from kindergarten readiness through high school graduation and helps adults access education and training for family-sustaining careers. Learn more at www.alignedimpactmuscatine.org.
