In the San Francisco Bay Area (California), community agencies and organizations routinely use teenagers as mentors and teachers of peers and younger children. Despite the literature indicating that teens should derive many benefits from these roles, agency staff have observed teen teachers who appear frustrated, bored, or disengaged, or who have adopted negative group management techniques. Ongoing research is attempting to identify "best practices" that contribute to positive outcomes for adolescent cross-age teachers, as well as program gaps that are barriers to positive outcomes. This research involves observations and interviews with directors and teen participants in eight programs concerned with community recreation, preschool operations, youth development, coping with high-risk community environments, experiential science education, and substance abuse prevention. Preliminary findings indicate that particular program characteristics may increase the likelihood that teens who serve as cross-age teachers will have positive outcomes. Successful programs usually have a passionately committed program director or other adult who works closely with the teenagers; high expectations for teenagers, with significant levels of responsibility; and incremental orientation and training strategies that set up teens for success. This research project is the first phase in preparing community agencies to implement successful cross-age and peer teacher programs. (SV)