Thriving Forward

Promoting healthy people and communities one family at a time.

Article

Soaring To New Heights: A 4-H Drone STEM Program

September 23, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez
OverviewThe intersection of agriculture and technology is an important part of our communities. For years, drones have been used in various ways to address real-world agricultural issues. To help prepare our young people for a future college or career pathway that explores this intersection of ag and drones,…
View Article
Article

Understanding Mindfulness and Its Relation to Wellness

August 12, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez
Introduction Life can be stressful. From picking up the kids from school to paying the bills, life can sometimes feel like waves of to-dos that keep coming our way. And for those who volunteer in our 4-H youth development program, there can be additional sources of stress, such as helping prepare youth…
View Article
Article

Fostering A Sense of Gratitude

August 1, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez
Introduction As we prepare for a new 4-H program year, we have many reasons to be grateful. Recently I attended a 4-H drone camp in Santa Clara and witnessed middle- and high-school youth present their capstone STEM projects in front of their parents and 4-H staff. I was amazed at what they had learned…
View Article
Article

Protecting The Sleep of 4-H Youth Members

July 10, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez, Marcel Horowitz
IntroductionIn our previous post, we mentioned the importance of sleep and how it can be related to our wellbeing. We also discussed how adequate sleep routines can be a form of self-care, which can increase our quality of life. A recent study mentions that the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to adolscents…
View Article
Article

What Is Self-Care and Why Does It Matter?

July 9, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez
IntroductionHumans are very complex systems and require ongoing maintenance. Similar to maintaining a vehicle (e.g. oil changes, etc.), people also have ongoing needs in order to function at optimal levels. Adequate sleep, physical exercise, enjoyable activities, positive relationships, and other factors are…
View Article