The Critical Moment

Duane Dieter is the Founder and President of The Hero Community Program (HCP), an organization established to encourage the positive development of children through mentorship, guidance, and educational opportunities to empower them, even with limited family and community support. What began as a local initiative over four decades ago has grown to inspire youth to develop confidence and purpose in life.

In this session, Duane will examine how adversity and uncertainty form an unavoidable part of the youth experience. Difficult situations, heightened anxiety, or moments filled with the unknown can shape how they respond, emphasizing that they can work through these multifaceted situations to achieve positive outcomes. Through HCP's philosophy of cultivating the Every Day Hero, young people can develop the discipline and skills to remain purposeful amid the stressors of daily situations. Authentic scenario-based validation exercises are at the core of this approach, as they acclimate youth to the emotions and responses crucial for appropriate decision-making. By exploring peer pressure in various forms and its tendency to undermine, this introduces the idea of "the critical moment," which is the juncture at which individuals face significant decisions that can steer them towards the most favorable path. These choices often require an immediate response. By providing training and mentorship, youth can learn to succeed in these "moments.”

The focus will be the development process for youth to obtain the conviction, courage, and compassion required to safeguard themselves and others, and respond to life’s most demanding moments with insight and sound judgment to make the best decision.