By Andi Anderson
At the Heron Bend Conservation Area in Lee County, new art pieces now line the trail along the Mississippi River. Welded sculptures of Iowa’s native wildlife, crafted from salvaged metal, were designed and built by local high school students.
These works symbolize more than creativity—they represent leadership, collaboration, and community pride.
The idea began in 2023 when Lee County Conservation submitted a proposal to the Leadership Lee County program, which uses the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Leading Communities curriculum.
Each year, local organizations propose projects that participants carry out as part of their leadership training. Since 2015, the program has contributed more than 1,600 volunteer hours to the community.
Savanna Collier, executive director of the Fort Madison Area Chamber of Commerce, explained, “This program opens the door for new people to step up, connect and lead. And our communities are better for it.”
The project team included professionals from engineering, conservation, education, and environmental sciences. They decided to partner with Fort Madison and Keokuk High Schools, tapping into their welding programs.
Students, guided by teachers, sketched designs inspired by Iowa wildlife. Feinberg’s Metal Recycling supported the project by donating scrap metal for the sculptures.
With welding torches in hand, students transformed steel into beehives, animals, and other nature-inspired forms. For many, this was their first time creating art that would be permanently displayed for the community. Families gathered at Heron Bend in 2024 to view the installations, celebrating the students’ achievement.
Team member Jeni Holtkamp noted, “There was a sense that this could be something they’d be proud of. Something they could come back to in five or 10 years and say, ‘I made that.”
The project shows how collaboration can bring ideas to life. Leaders, teachers, students, and local businesses each played a role. As team member Jessica Ellison explained, leadership was simply “getting the right people in the room and figuring it out together.”
The sculptures now stand as lasting reminders of how art, leadership, and community can come together to build a stronger Lee County.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-poike
Categories: Iowa, Education