Farmington Hills Students Share Their Tips in 'A Healthier Michigan' Contest

The votes have been cast, and now two Farmington Hills students are waiting to learn whether they've earned a regular video blogging gig – and a school visit from Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

5th grader Hailey Samples and 4th grader Jalen Johnson for the Blue Cross Blue Shield “Make the Play” contest. Since April 13, they've been rallying classmates, teachers, friends and family members to cast votes at ahealthiermichigan.org. Voting closed April 25. 

Jalen's father, Hugh Johnson, told his son about the contest. They created a script, Jalen said, "and we did some stuff on our own." The video, which starts with Jalen doing a cartwheel, focuses on exercise and the activities he most enjoys. The whole family – including Jalen's mother Monique, and his brothers Braden and Jorden, both 14 – got involved. 

The goal, Jalen said, is "to show people how to stay healthy and to make Michigan a healthy place". 

Hailey Samples said she found out about the contest through an email her mother, Sheilah, received. Her first step was to write a script.

"I started thinking about things that are really healthy," she said.

Hailey came up with a list of simple steps Michiganders can take to get healthier, which she shares in the video: drink plenty of water, exercise, eat the right foods (and steer clear of the wrong ones) and get a good night's sleep. She also explains to viewers why each of those steps is important. 

What does Hailey do to stay healthy?

"I play basketball, and I swim," she said. "I like to eat apples and carrots and watermelon." 

The process of creating her contest entry involved only her mother's iPad, which was used to record the video. They worked together on editing the final product. 

With an assembly featuring Matthew Stafford on the line, both students have gotten support from their schools, with notices about the contest going out through list servs. 

The "Make the Play" program was inspired by 10-year-old Marshall Reid from North Carolina, who documented his fight against childhood obesity through “Portion Size Me” videos.    

Video submissions answered the question: “What would you do to make Michigan healthier?”. Hailey and Jalen are among five finalists selected from 40 contest entries submitted by students around the state. 

The winner will be announced May 7, at ahealthiermichigan.org.