LAMS gym was transformed for Pi-rates of the Caribbean March 14 in celebration of Pi Day. Students moved among 14 stations to take measurements and make calculations. Here students at the Trinidad station find the volume of a cone and then enjoy an ice cream cone decorated with frosting. Courtesy/LAMS

LAMS News:

The Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) gym was transformed for Pi-rates of the Caribbean Monday, March 14 in celebration of Pi Day.

Students moved among 14 stations where they took measurements and made calculations, and participated in other fun activities centered around the irrational number, π. 

More than 600 7th and 8th grade students attended the event. Once they completed a pi-related task, they logged their results and sailed to the next station. Each station was named for an island in the Caribbean. The favorite island of the day was Trinidad, where students had to find the volume of a cone, then enjoyed an ice cream cone decorated with frosting.

“Seven students came into my classroom for lunch and spent their lunch time talking about Pi Day, and how ‘cool it was’, LAMS teacher Kareen Reyer said.

Other students had positive things to say about pirate-themed Pi Day. “The Pi Day activities were a lot of fun,” 7th grader Angus Smith said. “I especially enjoyed the gold coin station where you rolled a doubloon on a piece of paper to calculate the circumference.”

Seventh grader Tyler Regele said, “It was cool to have a lot of activities. I wish we had even more time to get to do them all! I liked having a break with Pi Day.”

Pi Day was organized by the LAMS PTO officers including Ramey Sallaz, president; Tanya Snyder, vice president; Jill Gross, a special education teacher at the middle school and the LAMS PTO secretary; and Mhairi McKay-Smith, treasurer. LAPS Director of Curriculum Dr. Sharon Fogle also lent a hand. More than 55 volunteers helped with copying the Captains Logs, ​setting up the gym, purchasing supplies, running the 14 different stations and cleaning up.

A huge thank you goes out to the Los Alamos Schools Credit Union and the Kiwanis Club. Both organizations provided very generous financial donations, and were on hand to help with the activities. In addition, LANL helped with recruiting volunteers, and Yeamans Machine Shop lent LAMS three large drum barrels.

The PTO began discussing Pi Day during the first meeting of the school year. Planning began in earnest in January, according to Gross. This was the 14th celebration of Pi Day, she said.

Students enjoyed pie, but not the traditional pie for a couple of reasons, according to Gross. 

“First of all, organizing all of the pie donations is a huge undertaking in itself,” she explained. “This year a PTO board member suggested Moon Pies, and, for students who had allergies, there were also gluten-free fruit bars produced in nut-free facilities.”

The LAMS PTO is looking for volunteers to help with Pi Day next year as well as helping to develop a theme and activities.​ Contact them at losalamosmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com.