Contact:  Mary Ellen de la Pena   360-337-4878
              Kitsap Youth Mentoring Consortium
              (Kitsap County Department of Personnel and Human Services)

National speaker and author, Chris Trout, will be the featured speaker at the Kitsap Mentor Celebration and Exposition scheduled for Wednesday, January 23, 5:30-8:30 pm at the Silverdale Community Center (Evergreen Room) 9729 Silverdale Way, Silverdale.  Mr. Trout, an expert on youth resiliency and strength-based programming for youth, will make a 90 minute presentation titled, “Seeing Strengths in the Chaos of Deficits.”  The community is invited and there is no cost to attend.

The Kitsap Mentor Celebration and Exposition, organized by the Kitsap Youth Mentoring Consortium, is being held in recognition of Kitsap Mentoring Month.  The focus of the event is on the benefits of mentoring relationships to both youth and mentors and how people can get involved. Kitsap area mentoring programs will provide information about their programs.  Community leaders will speak about their own mentors and the importance of providing support and guidance for youth to promote success in school and life.  Among the community leaders to speak will be Kitsap County Commissioner Josh Brown.  For more information call 360/337-4878.