Obviously haven't seen the kit recipe:
1. Use the palest extract you can get. Briess pils DME is my favorite (for small batch hop trials), for fermentabillty, flavor and pale color.
2. Use 1056
3. Cool as close to 60-65F as you can manage before pitching.
4. Try to hold fermentation temps in the low to mid 60s. Adding the fermenter to a tub of water with frozen water bottles works pretty well. Swap bottles out twice/day.
5. Sub 1/2 lb of sugar for extract. It'll help lighten the beer in body and color, as extract is not as fermentable as grain (and is darker).
6. Target 30ish IBU, with maybe 23ish IBU @ 60 min, the remaining IBU added evenly @ 15 min, 5 min and flameout, consisting of Cascade, Centennial or a blend of both.
7. Assuming you use brewing software, target 1.050 -1.054 OG and sub in some crushed malt - maybe 3 or 4 oz of aromatic or honey malt, steeped @ 155F for 30 mins, strained and added to the pot.
Hope this helps.