March 14: Pi day

​By Sarah Kang

Every year on March 14, the students and staff at Glenelg High School celebrate an unique holiday: Pi day! For those who are unfamiliar with what Pi is, it is a mathematical symbol (π) that is approximately 3.14, which is the date it is celebrated. The search for Pi was first done approximately 4,000 years ago by the Babylonians and Egyptians; however, it is unclear as to how it was discovered. 

On this special occasion, Glenelg celebrates by bringing in various pies and enjoying the delicious slices with peers. Pi day at Glenelg was brought by Ms. Doermann in 2006. She states, “It started small, with just my class and has grown to what you see today.”

The impact of bringing in pies is huge. In the first years, Glenelg started collecting pies for Grassroots, but quickly overwhelmed them with the pies and generosity. They shared some with the Homeless shelters in Baltimore for the first few years, but Glenelg overloaded them again. As a result, four years ago, Glenelg reached out to the D.C Central Kitchen, who gladly accepted our donations.

How are the donations sent? In the beginning, the pies and dry goods were packed in Ms. Doermann’s minivan and dropped off. Fortunately, a large truck was found, and the goods are loaded onto it.

Although eating pie and participating in exciting activities are remarkable parts of Pi day, it is also important to know the real reason as to why Pi day is celebrated. Mr. Bohlayer, a Precalculus teacher, states that “Pi day is a chance for the world to celebrate topics of math and appreciate the importance of Pi.” Overall, Pi day is a noteworthy day that students look forward to each year. Let us thank the math department and the Glenelg Community’s generosity for making this day successful and possible!