 Henson began working for WTOP-TV (now WUSA-TV) in 1954 while attending Northwestern High School, creating puppets for a Saturday morning children's show called "The Junior Morning Show".He enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park as a studio arts major upon graduation, thinking that he might become a commercial artist.A puppetry class offered in the applied arts department introduced him to the craft and textiles courses in the College of home economics, and he graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in home economics.