Even with technology, scientific advances, etc., human needs haven't changed. We all want to be loved, accepted, and appreciated. This is true of students & adults. Remember education isn't really about being student centered or learning centered, it is RELATIONAL centered.
It's deceptively simple, but the best way to empower a child is to point out their strengths, help them articulate goals, & tell them you believe they can do ANYTHING. Someday they may forget the dreams they had at 12 or 13, but they'll never forget that someone believed in them.