INDIAN ISLAND – The state of Maine has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls Club.

The money will be used to hire two part-time youth counselors whose primary role will be to head up a new after-school program called Street Smart, according to Boys & Girls Club director Carla Fearon.

The program, geared toward 11- to 13-year-olds, focuses on the prevention and education of problems of drug and alcohol use and premature sexual activity, Fearon said Monday. The club director intends to open the program up to a broader age group, and, if successful, it may be increased to two days per week, instead of the intended one day per week.

Created in 2001, the Penobscot Nation Boys & Girls Club serves more than 100 juveniles between the ages of 10 and 17. The club provides youth on the island with a number of activities, including after-school homework help, cultural and social opportunities, and lessons in computer skills.

The one-year Juvenile Justice Advisory Grant coincides with other grants the club recently received to help prevent drug and alcohol abuse, Fearon said.

“They all complement each other, going toward the same goal,” Fearon said.