Rick Newell, founder and executive director of Route 21, will discuss “A Unique Program for Mentoring Youth in Foster Care” at the Rotary Club of Mercer Island’s meeting on Jan. 6 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center, 8236 SE 24th St.

The main meeting begins at 12:30 p.m.; socializing is from noon to 12:30 p.m. Guests are always welcome and there is no fee to attend. A catered lunch is available for $25, or attendees can bring their own meal.

Route 21 offers a unique and proven mentoring model. Route 21 finds young adults who grew up in foster care and then pays and supports them well to mentor youth currently in foster care. It is a seven-year mentoring program from their freshman year of high school until they turn 21.

According to Route 21, “Youth in foster care are the most underserved and vulnerable of any commonly measured group. Their high school graduation rates (55%) are lower than any race and significantly lower than even homeless youth (68%). Frequent placement changes and uncertainty creates youth who are often stuck in fight, flight or freeze. They cannot excel in school nor build long-term trusted relationships.”

Newell left a good career in technology to work with youth at the Rotary Boys and Girls Club in Seattle. From his time there, he and his wife, Rebecca, built the highly effective M.U.S.T. mentoring program. M.U.S.T. finds Black American males who are in the community and then pays them to mentor the most underserved Black males in Seattle public schools. Rick and Rebecca left M.U.S.T. in capable hands and are now building Route 21.

For more information on the Rotary Club of Mercer Island, visit http://mirotary.org