Pi is not just a number, nor is it a delicious addition to a dessert table. Beginning in 1988 with physicist Larry Shaw, Pi–the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter–has been celebrated on March fourteenth, 3/14, for nearly 40 years.
The math department at Mamaroneck High School (MHS) continues to honor this day in different yet meaningful ways, all with the goal of bringing the school community together in the name of math. Past festivities have consisted of pie eating contests, Pi trivia and scavenger hunts, a competition of memorizing the digits of Pi, and various fundraisers.
For the past few years a goal of Pi day has been to give back to the community. Previously, the math department has partnered with The Larchmont Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force, holding drives to donate various goods to the community. “This year we will be working with the Stem Alliance to help the underprivileged in this area,” said Mrs. Kathryn O’Donoghue. Through partnering with the Stem Alliance, the math department hopes to give every Mamaroneck student a chance to be immersed in math.
This year’s Pi day will be marked by the second installment of the Pi K, a play on a 5 K that encourages students to celebrate Pi in a 3.14 kilometers (or just under two miles) running event. You do not have to be good at math (or running) to participate, because according to Ms. Gorman, Pi day is an opportunity, “to build connections between students of all different math levels.”
In addition to the Pi K, students can expect to see Pi-related activities in their regular math classrooms. Past activities have provided students with a chance to understand the significance of Pi in their everyday lives, and this year will be no different.
Clare Greaney (’25)–a member of the Girls Who Code Club–partnering in making Pi day possible, considers, “a lot of the time, people really don’t think about things other than the math they’re learning in school, but then when you get to high school, you can do computer science, engineering, architecture… The goal is to facilitate interest in it, at a younger age… so we can spread awareness of all these interests into elementary kids.”
Although last year’s festivities were affected by the rain, students can look forward to a Pi day filled with food trucks, raffles, t-shirts, prizes, and fun with friends. Everyone is encouraged to join and celebrate the joy of Pi, and how to contribute to the world around us. Audrey Padova (’27), a participant of last year’s Pi day, believes that attending is a valuable experience “because it [brings] students together for a good cause.”
Pi day serves as an opportunity for the Mamaroneck High School community to learn in a fun, interactive, and inclusive environment. At the Pi K, everyone has the chance to develop a love of math and of Pi, so we urge you to join for yourself, and to support the math department and Stem Alliance!
