This story is brought to you by the number 35.

Sesame Street, a middle-aged television program for children, is celebrating its 35th year on April 5. To celebrate its birthday, PBS will be airing an hour-long primetime special entitled, “Sesame Street Presents: The Street We Live On.”

“For daytime TV, [Sesame Street] was the only thing on for little kids,” said Scott Chandler, a sophomore criminal justice major and a “huge fan of Big Bird.”

“I’m not surprised it has been on for 35 years,” he said.

Big Bird is a 6-year-old child in an 8 foot 2 inch tall body.

“Young viewers relate to him because he is a lot like them: charged with the excitement of discovery, sometimes makes mistakes and devastated when things do not go his way — but Big Bird always tries again,” stated a press release from PBS.

Big Bird’s best friend is Aloysius Snuffleupagus, also known by viewers as “Snuffy.”

“Snuffy [is my favorite] because of his red hair,” said Lisa Valerio, a freshman civil engineering major. “My best friend had red hair and I wanted it.”

Snuffy, a distant cousin to an elephant, is four years-old and is “still learning to cope with simple things, and his first impulse is often to give up,” the release said. Big Bird and other cast mates help him find solutions to his problems.

Another duo on the show is Bert and Ernie.

“Bert is the long-suffering sidekick of Ernie,” the release stated. “He is more mature, analytical and considers himself the voice of reason in their relationship.”

Bert collects bottle caps and paper clips and plays the tuba. The love of his life is a pigeon — Bernice. Ernie’s love is also in bird form, his rubber duckie.

“As always, he is great at explaining things, but can sometimes be a bit too smart for his own good,” the release stated about Ernie.

Another character favorite is the Cookie Monster.

“I love the Cookie Monster,” said Sarah Arnold, a senior pharmacy major. “I think that’s where I got my appetite.”

Another character is known for his large appetite for a particular snack.

“Cookie Monster [was my favorite] because I love cookies and he was hilarious,” said Ela Nasto, a middler political science major.

Other notable characters include the two friendly, furry monsters Elmo and Grover. Oscar the Grouch is a not-so-friendly monster: but loved by audiences just the same.

Steve Allen, a 24-year-old employee at the Northeastern University Bookstore bag check, said he loves “everything” about Oscar the Grouch.

Melissa Poch, a senior pharmacy major, said even though everyone was so nice to him, Oscar never backed down.

Outside of the furry characters, celebrity guests have made appearances throughout the show’s 35 years.

Throughout the new season, celebrities include Julianne Moore, Norah Jones, Bill Cosby, Seth Green and Jason Biggs, among others.

Chandler said he’d like to see Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith, be a guest on Sesame Street because he “looks like a muppet.”

With 35 years of learning, the show has held many historic marks outside of just its guests.

In 1970, Big Bird made the cover of Time Magazine and in 1980 he visited the White House to attend a children’s diplomatic Holiday reception. In 1993, the United States Department of Education determined that 77 percent of all preschool children watch Sesame Street at least once per week. By 1995, it is estimated the show has aired in 120 countries. In 1999, the show won its 75th Emmy Award.

The anniversary special will replay on April 5 during the regular daytime hours on PBS Kids.