Andrew and Alexander Heckendorf of Menomonie have been selected as the University of Wisconsin Dunn County 4-H’s Key Award winners for 2026.

This prestigious award is one of the highest recognitions that a 4-H member can receive.  Earning the 4-H Key Award is an honor of distinction that only a select few 4-H participants may obtain.  Because Andrew and Alexander have already earned the 4-H Citizenship, Achievement, and Leadership awards, they qualified for the Key Award. Both Andrew and Alexander have excelled in 4-H, which has helped them to develop leadership and citizenship skills that they learned through their active involvement in their club and community.

Andrew and Alexander have been active members of the Little Elk Creek 4-H Club for seven years. During that time, they have participated in the Youth Action Council, were camp counselors for the Tri-County 4-H Camp at the Wisconsin Farmer’s Union Kamp Kenwood, and have exhibited at the Dunn County Fair.  Some of the projects that they have done are Aerospace, Art Appreciation, Candy, Folk Arts & Crafts, Foods & Nutrition, Legos, Mechanical Sciences, Model Building, STEM, and Visual Arts.

Andrew has been the secretary of the Little Elk Creek 4-H Club for three years and is currently the secretary of the Youth Activities Council.

“Throughout my years in 4-H, I have been given many different opportunities to grow myself as a persom,” said Andrew Heckendorf. “I’ve been an officer for both the Little Elk Creek 4-H Club and the Youth Activities Council, hosted Battle of the Clubs twice, and partaken in multiple 4-H trips, and I’ve served as a camp counselor.”

Alexander has been the vice president of the Little Elk Creek 4-H Club for three years and is currently the vice president of the Youth Activities Council.

“4-H has offered me various opportunities for learning and growth,” Alex Heckendorf said. “Two of the ways 4-H has impacted me are improvements to my leadership and public speaking skills.”

Andrew and Alexander will be recognized at the Dunn County 4-H Distinguished Member Awards Ceremony Sunday, July 26, at 12:15 p.m.

For more information about Dunn County 4-H, contact 4-H Youth Program Educator Zachary Rozmiarek at [email protected] or call at 715-232-1636