At the June 17th North Platte City Council meeting, Mayor Kelliher gave recognition to Community Connections Mentor and 2025 Mentor of the Year. In April, MENTOR Nebraska announced Steven Heinzle as the recipient of the 2025 Mentor of the Year award, for his remarkable 25-year commitment to youth mentorship in Nebraska.MENTOR Nebraska announced Steven Heinzle as the recipient of the 2025 Mentor of the Year award, recognizing his remarkable 25-year commitment to youth mentorship in Nebraska. Steve began his mentoring journey with Community Connections in North Platte after learning about the program during his time in the NP Jaycees and has since become a cornerstone of the mentoring community. Over the past two and a half decades, Steve has mentored nine youth through the program — many of those matches lasting well beyond the one-year commitment typically required. His mentees speak highly of the positive and lasting impact Steve has had on their lives, sharing stories of how his presence gave them someone to talk to when they needed it most. From meaningful conversations to fun outings and mentoring program activities, Steve offered his time, care, and consistency — a true mentor in every sense.