Pi Day comes early in Somerville

On Friday, March 13, well over 200 students and their family members and teachers along with high school and community volunteers celebrated Pi Day early. Technically Pi minute would be  March 13 at 1:59 (and to be even more precise, 26 seconds, π = 3.145926...).  Congress even recognized Pi Day in 2009 with our own Congressman Capuano voting 

“yes” to encourage the celebration of this important mathematical holiday http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19952.html.

Middle school students from the Healey School were joined by students from East Somerville Community School at Cummings and from West Somerville Neighborhood School for an evening in celebration of Pi.  Pi was computed, estimations and predictions were made, π quizzes were taken, π posters were displayed, problems using π were solved, circles and other curves were drawn using lines, π buttons were made, birthdays were found in π’s infinite set of digits, graphs were drawn, and probability data was collected for later use.  Everyone worked on problem solving, estimating, predicting and enjoying π, and dined on pizza and juice.  Prizes of pie and candy, round ones of course, were awarded at the end of an exciting mathematical evening.  Everyone went home at the end of the evening with a small Table Talk Pie.

Businesses and individuals helped to make this possible.  Everyone appreciated Healey School and its principal Jason DeFalco for hosting this event.  The evening was planned by Wil Jacques (Healey School), Theresa MacVicar (ESCS, Cummings), Annette Fiore Bassett (ESCS, Cummings), Scott Weaver (WSNS). and Erica Voolich (Somerville Mathematics Fund).  Over 300 pies were donated by Table Talk Pie Company; Gerald and Debra Bickoff donated the pizza supplied at a discount by White Sport; Star Market (Beacon Street) donated a gift card used to buy juice.  The Somerville Mathematics Fund was honored to be able to sponsor this exciting, celebratory event with the support and time of the many wonderful individuals in the Somerville Schools and community, as well as, the generous donations.

The Somerville Mathematics Fund, an affiliate of the national scholarship organization Dollars for Scholars, was chartered in 2000 to celebrate and encourage achievement in mathematics in the city of Somerville, Massachusetts.  Currently, The Somerville Mathematics Fund is seeking applications from outstanding students for their renewable college mathematics scholarship. The application form is available at www.somervillemathematicsfund.org.