CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - The beloved children’s show Sesame Street is marking its 50th anniversary on air and it’s longtime partnership with Harvard University.

As the longest-running children’s show in American television history, the muppet’s impact is undeniable. But what many do not know is that the Harvard Graduate School of Education had a major hand in crafting the iconic show’s message.

The prestigious university helps to craft the lessons and the Sesame team turns it into muppet magic.

“We are trying to produce research that is actually going to have an impact,” Dean Bridget Long said. “The partnership with Sesame gave us the chance to actually improve the lives of students.”

Over the course of five decades, the show has evolved by introducing new characters and modern topics with the addition of muppets like Karli who is living in foster care.

“Now, the topics change, the technology changes, it’s not just about TV anymore. We’re on every platform around,” said Jeffrey Dunn, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop. “So, all of that has changed. But, the way we  do it is still the way that got started 50 years ago right here.”

The show not only helps children to grow and flourish in the classroom but leaves lasting lifelong lessons that many remember well into adulthood.

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