Griffin Hospital and the Valley School Districts (Shelton,
Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, and Seymour schools, including Emmett
O’Brien Technical), are committed to promoting the health of the
Valley community and to combating childhood obesity. The Valley
Initiative to Advance Health & Learning in Schools (VITAHLS)
brings together Griffin Hospital, the Yale-Griffin Prevention
Research Center, and the 5 Valley school districts to develop,
implement, evaluate, and sustain a Valley-wide school-based
childhood obesity prevention program to reduce the prevalence of
obesity in students in grades Pre-K – 12. - To reduce the
prevalence of obesity and to promote the health, wellbeing, and
academic readiness of students enrolled in the 5 Valley school
districts. - To develop a comprehensive and sustainable obesity
prevention initiative that focuses on nutrition and physical
activity for children in grades Pre-K – 12. - To extend the
health promotion efforts to include parents/family and school
staff. Objectives of the VITAHL