CSN’s MS Pi Day theme this year was “A celebration of circles, spheres, and the most famous irrational number Pi.” Monday’s celebration included many events, competitions, and experiences. The MS was awash with soap spheres (bubbles), and students experienced Ghost Bubbles created with dry ice. Students ran two geometric probability stations to teach the math involved in ring toss carnival games and to calculate an estimate for Pi by dropping circles from upstairs onto a square grid on the ground below. There was a Pi Day cookie contest, and another where students competed to draw the perfect circle. A contest to estimate the circumference and area of many large circles on the CSN campus resulted in a first-place tie. Dozens of students led stations to help other students create Pi art, Pi bracelets, and compete in hula-hoop and spike ball contests. As March 14 is also Einstein’s birthday, they had an Einstein look-alike contest. Click here for pictures of the impressive Einstein costumes created by our students in addition to the other MS Pi Day activities.

The highlight of the celebration was when sixth grader Matteo Dal Lago shattered the previous CSN MS record by accurately memorizing and reciting an amazing 891 digits of Pi! Matteo is being registered with the Pi World Ranking List for inclusion in the ranks of the best in the world at reciting Pi. Former CSN students Farrah McQueen and Bridget Denzer made the list in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Sixth grader Colton Resop earned second place by reciting 180 digits of Pi, and seventh grader Sienna Hartman sang 153 digits to win third place. Twenty-two other MS students won pies by reciting from memory at least 25 digits of Pi. A math teacher traditionally takes a pie to the face from the MS Pi champion, and this year Mr. Werab kindly accepted a pie from Matteo at Tuesday’s assembly!

The US had their own pi(e) festivities this week.  Several teachers helped raised money by volunteering to get pied in the face. Students (and faculty) donated all week long by putting money in the bucket(s) of the teacher(s) they would like to see get pied, and Mu Alpha Theta students collected the funds leading up to Friday’s assembly. On that day, juniors Sophie Sinberg and Grace Lampard found pi symbols under their seats, so they got to throw the pies. As Ms. Beza and Mr. Headrick were the teachers with the most donations, Sophie very gently pied Ms. Beza, but when Grace went to pie Mr. Headrick, he grabbed the pie and ran after Ms. Cankar! It ended with the pie falling over the railing, but everyone in the area tried to grab whatever extra whipped cream could be found to get Mr. Headrick as much as possible. Click here to see the fun! The donations will go to a local charity that supports girls/women who wish to pursue an education/career in a STEM field.  This charity was chosen because March is Women’s History Month and math is a STEM field.