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Pi Day Returns to Edison Middle School

WEST ORANGE, NJ - Pi Day returned in all its glory to Edison Middle School on March 14, and the students couldn't have been happier.

For years, the scientific community has obsessed over Pi. In numeric form, Pi is 3.14, and was the reason for the selection in 1988 of March 14 as Pi Day. It doesn't hurt that Albert Einstein's birthday was also March 14, adding to its mathematical credibility. It's an irrational number that goes on ad infinitum and the Pi value plays a crucial role in understanding universal truths and some mathematical concepts in trigonometry, geometry and other concepts like probability, complex numbers and statistics. Without the Pi concept, mathematics loses its core.

These lofty concepts were not at the heart of Edison's gleeful celebration, however. Those had already been discussed in class. Organized by math teachers Sheyla Jannah and Nicole Shipitofsky, the assembly began with nine students competing to see who could recite the most digits of Pi. Student Lily Robinson prevailed by nailing 239. The main attraction then followed: pie-making atop teachers' heads. Even Acting Principal Steve Melendez, Acting Vice Principal Keri Orange-Jones, and counselor Jeff Lafoon were not immune from the pie-ing, which included apple pie filling, graham cracker crumbs, and whipped cream.

"This is the first time we have all been together as a school since before the pandemic," began Melendez.

"You know we normally ask you to be quiet during events," he said, "but this is one of those times when we want you to cheer and clap and have a good time."

Students were happy to comply. Math teacher Eric Mains seemed to receive the brunt of the pie-ing from his fellow teachers, who managed to get in on the shenanigans.

The event also served as a fundraiser for the Holy Trinity-West Orange Food Pantry, who received $310 to purchase food.

See all the photos from Pi Day HERE.