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Troy 7th Grader Helping To Keep Kids Healthy [VIDEO]

Make the Play for Health Habits kid contest: Marissa Orzame by A Healthier Michigan on YouTube

By Greg Bowman

She's only 13 years old, but Marissa Orzame -- a seventh grader at Boulan Park Middle School in Troy -- is already concerned about the problem of childhood obesity in Michigan.

Orazame's message about keeping kids healthy made her the winner in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's "Make The Play For Healthy Habits" video contest.

"Even if you're watching TV, you can do a little dance battle if you want to, or do jumping jacks if you want to. There are lots of little easy ways you can make a big difference in your life," Orazame said.

Orzame said there aren't many obese kids at her school, but she did research for her video and found out that Michigan is the fifth most obese state in the country.

And, she said, don't let Michigan's unpredictable weather keep you from being active and going outdoors.

"You can go outside, even if it's snowing. You can always play in the snow! Just walking around outside is being active as well."

As the contest winner, Orzame will get to bring Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to school this spring for a special school assembly focused on healthy eating and exercise. But she said she doesn't want to know what day Stafford is coming to her school until the day before it happens, because she would be too nervous about it.

Orzame hopes to be a pediatrician when she grows up, but she would also like to be a dance teacher, a skill she shows off in her winning video.

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