Students celebrate National Pi Day with activities and pie

Students at the Steinbach Regional Secondary School are celebrating Pi (π)  Day with some special activities. 

National Pi Day is recognized around the world on March 14th. Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference in relation to its diameter. 

Math teacher Mitchell Gallinger says they’re recognizing the most mathematical constant in the world by engaging students in different activities. 

“Some of our activities are relating to the mathematics behind it, working with our circles, calculating areas, perimeters and things like that. But we also have some activities that are sort of connecting it in other ways. Looking at some artistic relationships, something as simple as laying out towers according to the heights with the digits of π can make a beautiful skyline sort of silhouette.” 

SRSS math teachers Keith Barkman and Mitchell Gallinger dressed for Pi Day.

And as students engage in these activities, they earn themselves a slice of pie. 

“This will be culminating of course with our recitation contest where the student who is able to recite the most digits of π is going to have the opportunity to get immortalized on our Pi Day trophy, but also to pie a teacher in the face.” 

Gallinger says it’s tough to determine which of the Pi activities is most popular as students seem to be enjoying the variety. 

“It's been just so busy. I know lots of kids do like the artistic side of things. A little bit of coloring is a good de-stressor. So, setting up those skylines is a pretty safe one. They like the trivia as well. It's just nice to see some random information.” 

Students are also learning some helpful information for everyday life. 

“One of our problems is looking at, if you could get two medium 12-inch pizzas versus one 18-inch pizza, what is actually getting you more pizza? 

While the Pi Day celebration is a department wide initiative, Gallinger says SRSS teacher Hailey Kupiak is a driving force behind the organization of it all. 

“She's been phenomenal, very good at organizing everything,” he says. “So, lots of the credit goes to her.” 

-With files from Corny Rempel