Boys and Girls Clubs in Indian Country

Penobscot Boys & Girls Club
Indian Island, Maine

Just off the coast of Maine lies Indian Island, home to the Penobscot Nation. Since 2000, the island has also been home to the first Native American Boys & Girls Club in the Northeast region of the United States.

"Boys & Girls Club work is all about identifying the needs of youth," says Ken Walsh, who oversees the Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls Club. "Our mission is second to none and, through our professional staff, we can make a big difference in young lives."

In 1999, Walsh and others took the first steps toward establishing a Club to serve children of the Penobscot Nation. They started by renovating an old gym whose concrete floor had seen better days. The brand new wooden floors they installed were the first ever on the island.

With support from several sources, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Penobscot Club is now a state-of-the-art facility.

Every young person on the reservation - about 200 - is a Club member. When young relatives come to visit, they are immediately introduced to the Club. It has truly become the center of activity for youth on the island.

The Club provides traditional Boys & Girls Clubs of America programming such as drug and alcohol prevention, and tutoring. To ensure that programming is as effective as possible, Club staff incorporate culturally-specific aspects. For instance, athletic programs feature one of the most popular activities on the island: canoeing. Other specialized programming includes Native American dance fundamentals and basket-weaving.

Walsh, who has formed a tight bond with Penobscot Nation Chief Barry Dana, believes that Boys & Girls Clubs are successful in Native American communities because they work closely with tribal leaders and members.

"Boys & Girls Clubs of America respects Native Americans' rich history and heritage," he said. "To know more about that history is going to make us all better."