About Us

For 43 years, MarshMedia's distinctive educational materials have delighted and informed children and taught them to live more effectively in their diverse and rapidly changing worlds. The company's thoughtfully-developed materials consistently win the respect and the commendation of parents, teachers, guidance counselors, nurses, educational organizations, and professional publications across the country.

Puberty education, both for students with special needs and for typically developing peers, is the signature product for MarshMedia. Since the earliest Human Growth titles, first published in 1970, the Marsh programs have been unique in their moderate editorial approach to this sensitive topic. Educators know they can depend on the Marsh titles to address important issues regarding human growth and development in a sensitive and moderate way that encourages the right amount of knowledge at the right age. The company has published many well known programs such as the Growing Up! series and the Let’s Just Talk! series, for boys and girls, Puberty Education for Students with Special Needs, There’s a New You Comin’, and this year has updated the popular Just Around the Corner series.

The company’s 43 year history of thoughtful product development positioned it perfectly for the opportunity of creating educational programs for children with special needs. When approached by school nurses and educators about the need for puberty education for this student population, the company embarked on a new journey in education. The resulting series Puberty Education for Students with Special Needs met with broad acceptance, including special invitations to present at the State Nurses Organizations in California, Texas and Ohio. Like dominoes, one thing led to another, including the scholarly White Paper “The Case for Puberty Education for Students with Special Needs” authored by Liz Sweeney and published by MarshMedia. This powerful document which is key when applying for special funding is available for FREE download on this website. Just click “Research and Resources” in the Special Needs section. Subsequently this White Paper was included as Chapter 20, Volume 3, Principals and Practices of the four-volume series Sexuality Education, Past, Present and Future, Edited by Elizabeth Schroeder, EDD, MSW, and Judy Kuriansky, PhD.

The most recent special needs programs are based on live action photography, including both students with special needs and typically developing peers. You Are Not Alone features important lessons in courage, humor and honor from Quinn Bradlee, a role model for students with learning disabilities or special needs. In this exclusive interview at his office in Arlington, VA, Quinn talks about his growing up years and his experiences as a kid with learning disabilities. “Flashback” vignettes feature live action footage of kids with special needs as well as typically developing peers modeling some of these experiences in a positive way.

I Know How to Act is a play within a play, also featuring both students with special needs and typically developing peers acting out different social behaviors. This program takes an original and unique approach to conveying social and leadership skills in a way kids can easily understand. It is also an especially good representation of inclusion.

Established in 1969 by Joan and Alan Marsh as Marsh Film Enterprises, Inc., the company specialized in educational filmstrips in health and guidance. Early in 1970, Marsh Media was the first publisher to develop filmstrips on drug education for elementary children. In 1982, Marsh was one of the first filmstrip publishers to enter the computer software market. Three years later, the company began converting its classic filmstrips to enhanced video. In 1990, the company produced its first live-action videos. Since then, Marsh Media has established a reputation for addressing tough issues such as teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and AIDS.

With the publication of Clarissa in 1992, MarshMedia expanded its product line to include the Character Education series. Each title in this research-based widely acclaimed series teaches an important life value through clever stories and beautiful artwork.

The series is based on the idea that children can discover sound values about themselves and their worlds through storytelling. Each hardcover storybook offers guidelines for parent-child discussion and is equally suitable in the classroom, library or at home. Complemented by a companion DVD or video, each complete kit also includes a comprehensive teaching guide, a research-based evaluation guide, and a set of reproducible worksheets, Home Ties.

MarshMedia also maintains a variety of choices with the availability of Spanish language options and closed captioning.