Empowered Youth: A HERO Blueprint for Advocacy & Resilience

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

• Schwartzen Y. PrecilFollow
• Schwartzen Y. Precil

First Presenter's Institution

Finlandia University

First Presenter’s Email Address

heartbeatofheroes@gmail.com

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Schwartzen Precil | Youth Empowerment Strategist | Founder, Hero Leadership Group Schwartzen Precil is a nationally recognized youth leadership expert, speaker, and founder of the Hero Leadership Group, a values-driven organization dedicated to equipping young people with the mindset and tools to thrive. As the architect of the HERO Framework—Honesty, Empathy, Resilience, Ownership—Schwartzen empowers educators, counselors, and advocates to transform adversity into advocacy. His lived experience, rising from system involvement and instability to national leadership, fuels his mission to ensure all youth are seen, heard, and equipped. Schwartzen’s work bridges trauma-informed practices, social-emotional learning, and culturally responsive leadership, and he has delivered keynotes and trainings across schools, juvenile justice systems, and national education platforms. He inspires others not just to lead—but to live with purpose.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Westbrook

Strand #1

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Home: Family & Community Engagement

Relevance

Schwartzen Precil’s session, grounded in the HERO Framework (Honesty, Empathy, Resilience, Ownership), speaks directly to the heart of NYAR’s mission—to support youth who face adversity and equip the adults who serve them. NYAR’s “5 H’s” model (Head, Heart, Hands, Health, Home) calls for holistic strategies that address academic achievement, social-emotional wellness, personal safety, physical health, and community connection. The HERO Framework mirrors and reinforces these priorities by offering practical, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive tools for educators, counselors, social workers, and advocates.

Schwartzen’s lived experience—combined with his strategic leadership expertise—bridges the gap between theory and action. His session helps professionals not only understand the needs of at-risk youth, but also lead them toward resilience, identity ownership, and meaningful advocacy. This presentation is not just relevant—it is essential for anyone committed to transforming systems that support youth facing the greatest challenges.

Brief Program Description

As a youth-empowerment strategist and founder of Hero Leadership Group, Schwartzen Precil brings his HERO Framework—Honesty, Empathy, Resilience, Ownership—to guide professionals serving at-risk youth. Through poignant personal storytelling and evidence-based practices, this 40-minute session connects each HERO pillar to the NYAR “5 H’s” (Head, Heart, Hands, Health, Home), equipping participants with tools to foster psychological safety, academic drive, and community engagement. Learn how to co-create strength-based learning environments where youth flourish through values-aligned support.

Summary

This session introduces a practical, person-centered leadership model known as the HERO Framework—Honesty, Empathy, Resilience, and Ownership—as a tool for educators, counselors, social workers, and youth advocates working with children and adolescents facing adversity. The session is designed to deliver immediately usable strategies that strengthen student engagement, emotional safety, and personal empowerment, especially for youth who are navigating trauma, instability, or marginalization.

The session begins by exploring Honesty as a relational leadership tool—modeling transparent communication to build trust between adults and youth. Participants will engage in reflective dialogue exercises that can be used in classrooms or counseling settings to deepen authentic connection and encourage student voice. The next section addresses Empathy, emphasizing trauma-informed, culturally responsive practices that support social-emotional well-being and reduce behavioral escalations. Attendees will learn frameworks for empathetic listening and response strategies that help young people feel seen, heard, and supported.

The third segment focuses on building Resilience in youth and the adults who serve them. Participants will explore strength-based language, mindset coaching, and wellness rituals that reinforce students’ ability to persevere. The session concludes with Ownership, where attendees will walk through strategies for fostering agency and accountability in young people, including student-led goal setting, reflective journaling, and micro-leadership opportunities in school and community contexts.

Throughout the session, participants will engage in hands-on activities, structured discussion, and “take-home” tools to adapt the HERO Framework to their specific professional roles. This model is adaptable to academic, behavioral, and community-based settings and can be implemented across age groups. The session is both reflective and practical—equipping professionals to lead youth toward stronger identities, improved relationships, and resilient futures.

Evidence

Annotated Bibliography Center for Health Care Strategies. (n.d.). 'Incorporating Racial Equity into Trauma-Informed Care.' Retrieved from www.chcs.org. This resource explores how trauma-informed care can be combined with a focus on racial equity in healthcare settings, using examples from Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Crisis Prevention Institute. (n.d.). 'How Trauma-Informed Schools Help Every Student Succeed.' Retrieved from www.crisisprevention.com. This article focuses on trauma-informed practices in schools, emphasizing the need for a supportive and collaborative approach to help students succeed. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2016). 'Key Ingredients for Successful Trauma-Informed Care Implementation.' Retrieved from www.samhsa.gov. SAMHSA's whitepaper provides a comprehensive look at the essential components of successful trauma-informed care, including clinical and organizational strategies. Urban Institute. (n.d.). 'Trauma-Informed Community Building and Engagement.' Retrieved from www.urban.org. This research paper offers insights into trauma-informed approaches to community engagement, focusing on the roots of trauma such as poverty and racism. National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). (n.d.). 'Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools: A Systems Framework.' Retrieved from www.nctsn.org. This resource provides a guide for schools to implement and sustain trauma-informed care practices, fostering a supportive and healing environment for students.

Learning Objective 1

Cultivate Honest Connections: Use transparent dialogue to create trusting relationships that bridge emotional and academic divides.

Learning Objective 2

Activate Empathy-Based Support: Apply culturally responsive listening to strengthen youth’s Heart and Home connections.

Learning Objective 3

Champion Youth Ownership: Engage student leaders in hands-on advocacy roles across school, family, and community systems.

Keyword Descriptors

Social, Emotional, Character, Growth Mindset, Transparency, Honesty, Resilience, Action, Goals

Presentation Year

2026

Start Date

3-2-2026 2:45 PM

End Date

3-2-2026 4:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Precil, Schwartzen Y. and Precil, Schwartzen Y., "Empowered Youth: A HERO Blueprint for Advocacy & Resilience" (2026). National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference. 24.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2026/2026/24