With the emergence of greater stress in the life of today's youth, much effort has gone into the investigation of effective coping methods for adolescents. By employing coping strategies, youth gain self-control and learn appropriate behavioral responses to many of life's stressors. Effective coping can assist adolescents in mastering cognitive, behavioral, and affective reactions to stressful situations. This paper describes how Project KICK (Kids in Cooperation with Kids), a community-based program in a low socio-economic, African-American community, enhances interpersonal communication; teaches strategies for cognitive change, self-management, and self-control; and provides alternative ways of coping with stress. The most prevalent maladaptive coping strategies employed by adolescents, including fighting, hitting, yelling, pushing, and calling names, are discussed. An explanation is given of how peer monitoring, drug education, drug refusal skill enrichment, health promotion, and home visits promote healthy coping strategies. Two surveys are administered yearly to the children to evaluate the effectiveness of the project. Reference materials are provided that facilitators can use for intervention. (Contains 55 references.) (JDM)