LIMESTONE, Maine – The Maine School of Science and Mathematics is the perfect place to celebrate Pi Day, an annual holiday recognizing the mathematical constant of pi, which begins with 3.14 – hence the March 14 date. The school, a public residential magnet school focused on STEM, has developed a reputation as one of the top public high schools in the country. Its students are often top performers at math and science competitions and are attracted to the school for its rigorous curriculum and talented faculty.
On Pi Day, MSSM students will certainly eat pie but will also do work with pi. Each year, MSSM hosts a friendly competition among students to see who can recite the most digits of pi in order from memory (the number starts with 3.14 but continues on to infinity). Any student who participates receives a small single-serving pie and the winning student goes home with a fresh-baked blueberry pie, and bragging rights.
Last year, Ari Anghel ‘26 from Windham was able to correctly list exactly 500 digits. This beat out 2022’s winner, Owen Dulac ‘23 from Raymond who was able to name 213 correctly.
“Our students are incredible,” says Rob Constantine, MSSM’s executive director. “No one expected anyone to get to 500 digits, but you can’t underestimate an MSSMer. When Ari finished, the entire room erupted in cheers. It’s a lot of fun.”
MSSM administration had printed out 300 digits of pi to keep track, but printed out more at the last minute to be safe. This year they will be ready as students have already set a goal of breaking the MSSM Pi Day Record of 1,243 digits recited by alumnus Nathan Conroy in 2003.
The MSSM Foundation, a 501(c)3 whose mission it is to support the school, also uses Pi Day as a way to rally the MSSM community to support the school and has set a goal of raising $31,415.92 towards student scholarships, student activities, and facility improvements.
“Last Pi Day we were able to raise over $27,000 to help support the school,” says Jeff Candura, executive director of the MSSM Foundation. “MSSM is a small school and generosity like that really makes a difference.”
MSSM will be livestreaming the student competition on its Instagram page. On top of the competition, new MSSM students will receive their acceptance letters on Pi Day. A fitting start to a career at a school that loves math!
