Thriving Forward

Promoting healthy people and communities one family at a time.

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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…
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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…
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Sleep and Youth Mental Health

July 8, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez
Introduction In the 4-H positive youth development program, youth pledge their "health to better living." Supporting the health and wellbeing of our young people is an important component of the 4-H program. This emphasis on healthy living also aligns with our University of California Cooperative…
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Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Among Different Groups of Youth (Part 4 of Series)

June 6, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez, Sally E Neas, Kaitlyn A Murray, Liliana Vega
IntroductionWhile any young person can potentially experience an adverse childhood experience (ACE), not all young people are as likely to be affected by them. Some groups of youth are at a disproportionately high risk. This increased exposure is shaped by systemic factors that are outside of a young person…
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From the Barn to Business School: How 4-H Shaped My Future

May 8, 2025
By Matthew R Rodriguez
 (The following article was written by 4-H youth member Lacie.)Hello! My name is Lacie. I’m 17 years old, a senior at Sutter Union High School, and proud to share that I’ll be attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa this fall to major in business. As I prepare for this exciting next chapter, I’ve…
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