In September 1985 Roanoke-Chowan Human Services Center and Bertie County Board of Education staff members developed the concept of an alcohol and drug early intervention program that would "stop short" the cycle of alcohol and drug abuse noted in families living in Bertie County. Children of alcoholics were deemed as the most high-risk youths in need of an early intervention program. The program is designed to identify adolescents who are at high risk for alcohol/drug abuse, targeting grades 5-8. It provides individual or group counseling services for all students identified, screened, and enrolled in the program. Further, it trains school personnel to identify and refer students who are at risk for substance abuse and provides appropriate health services through referrals to community agencies for adolescents enrolled in Shortstop. This paper describes training sessions with teachers, staff meetings, program evaluation techniques, and the program components (individual academic counseling, individual counseling activities, small-group activities, and large group activities). Also included are job descriptions for the program coordinator, the school/guidance counselor, the school psychologist, the mental health psychologist, and the substance abuse counselor. A log sheet and the teacher survey form are provided as well.