Highlights for Children

Company history

Garry Myers earned a PhD degree in psychology from Columbia University in Manhattan, New York before World War I, providing a basis for teaching he would do the rest of his life. He and Caroline Myers taught illiterate soldiers for the U.S. Army. Caroline was the first female teacher employed by the Army. The experience led to them being pioneers in elementary education. They taught educators and parents for a time at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1928, Garry started writing a nationally syndicated column entitled Parent Problems, which continued for 50 years. The couple also co-authored several books.

From the late 1920s to the mid-1930s, the Myers helped to develop a number of parenting publications, becoming nationally well known in education. They served as editors for Children's Activities. From 1941 to 1946, the two toured the U.S., lecturing, writing articles, and publishing books. After ending their relationship with Children's Activities, they started their own magazine. Later, they bought Children's Activities and incorporated it in Highlights.

Highlights for Children began publication in June 1946, with Garry Myers serving as editor-in-chief. An editorial office was set up in Honesdale, Pennsylvania and a business office was established near their printer in Columbus, Ohio. After seeing the amount of advertisements in Children's Activities, the Myers decided that their magazine would not have paid ads. The first issue had 20,000 copies printed, but sales were lower than expected. Within six months, the magazine was losing money and the founders asked their son Garry Myers, Jr. to work with them to wind it down. Recognizing its potential, he concluded that it was worth saving and came up with the idea of placing copies with doctors' and dentists' offices throughout North America. That turned the magazine's fortunes around.

On December 16, 1960, Myers, Jr., his wife Mary, and company vice-president Cyril Ewart were killed in a mid-air collision which left 134 dead. The three were traveling to discuss distribution plans for Highlights. They were replaced on the board of directors by members of the Myers family. Dick Bell was promoted to company president in 1962. Garry Cleveland Myers died in 1971 and Walter Barbe took over as the editor-in-chief. In 1972, Zaner-Bloser became a wholly owned subsidiary of Highlights for Kids. Bell was also named CEO in 1980, before transitioning to being the chairman in 1981. Garry Myers III was named the CEO. At the time, the company had become a diversified educational-publishing enterprise with $21 million a year in gross revenues. Its subsidiaries included Essential Learning Products, the Zaner-Bloser Company, and the quarterly Newsletter of Parenting with a circulation of 15,000.

Kent Brown Jr., a grandson of Gary and Caroline Myers, took over as editor-in-chief in 1989. The company expanded its operations in the 1990s. It founded Boyds Mill Press in 1990 to focus on trade books for children. In 1991, the company acquired Staff Development for Educators, which provides continuing education for teachers. Stenhouse Publishing, established in 1993, produces research-driven professional development books for educators.

The company moved to its Columbus headquarters in 2000. Myers III remained as CEO until his sudden death in 2005. He was replaced by Kent Johnson Jr., a great-grandson of Garry and Caroline Myers. Under Johnson, the company has grown its print, digital, and specialty offerings. In April 2013, Highlights began publishing issues in India. That included Highlights Champs, for children ages 6 to 12, and Highlights Genies, for children ages 2 to 6. By October, international versions of Highlights and High Five were made available in Australia, South Africa, Taiwan, and Chile.

In January 2018, the company merged its Staff Development for Educators and Stenhouse operations. In May 2019, Highlights for Children sold Its Boyds Mills Press division, including its Calkins Creek and WordSong imprints, to Kane Press in 2019. The Highlights Press and Highlights Learning imprints were not included in the sale. In June 2023, Highlights for Children acquired Tinkergarten, a company that provides research-backed, play-based outdoor learning experiences to children six months to 8 years of age. The company quietly sold Stenhouse to Taylor & Francis in July 2023.

Boyds Mills (formerly Highlights Foundation)

In 1984, the Highlights Foundation nonprofit was formed to support children's authors and illustrators through retreats, seminars, and workshops. The Foundation maintains a 1,300-acre retreat center in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. George K. Brown, a great-grandson of the original Highlights founders, was elected as executive director in 2018. In 2022, children's author Renée Watson endowed a scholarship for a week-long retreat by a black woman author. On January 11, 2026, the foundation announced it had changed its name to Boyds Mills. It said its purpose remained the same.