What began as a classroom experiment 36 years ago at George Stevens Academy has turned into a testament of the longevity of "Twinkies," the Hostess brand snack cake that may be headed for extinction.
The saga of the indestructible Twinkie dates to 1976 and a science class led by Roger Bennatti, according to Liffey Thorpe, a spokesperson for the academy. Bennatti was discussing how chemicals are used to preserve foods, Thorpe said.
A student had a Twinkie left over from lunch and handed it to Bennatti, who held it up to the class and asked, "How long do you figure this will last?", Thorpe said. Bennatti then placed the Twinkie on a shelf next to his desk, where it stayed for the next 28 years.
When Bennatti retired in 2004, he placed the Twinkie in a glass box and gave it to former student Libbey Rosemeier, dean of students at George Stevens. The Twinkie is on display in Rosemeier's office.