Pi is what makes the world go 'round.
That's what Harry Kokkinis, president and owner of Table Talk Pies, said while handing out 4-inch snack pies to students at the Canterbury Street Computer-Based Magnet School in Worcester during a belated Pi Day celebration Wednesday.
The event was originally supposed to take place March 14 - on the annual celebration of the mathematical constant Pi - but was postponed due to snow. Pi Day is observed on March 14 because 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of Pi.
"Education is so important, and mathematics in particular, because Pi makes the world go 'round," Kokkinis said. "We use Pi every day - when we drive a car, when we make our pies - so whatever we can do to encourage the love of mathematics. It's so important in today's world and we just like to see a rebirth and interest in STEM and education in math, in particular."
While most of the elementary schoolers at Canterbury Street chose apple pies, Kokkinis also gave out blueberry, pineapple and lemon pies - his personal favorite.
Table Talk, a Worcester-based company, opened a new manufacturing facility just down the street in the South Worcester Industrial Park last fall.
"We're neighbors now and we talk to the school about needs they have like a new library and a playground, and we want to see what we can do to help," Kokkinis said. "That's the way our company has been since my grandfather started it in 1924 - to be charitable."
Table Talk gave more than 60,000 snack pies to schools throughout Worcester and Boston.
At Canterbury Street School, the kids were thrilled.
"Pie day is awesome because you get a pie and you can eat it," second grader Anderson Perez said.
Sadia Kabundi, a third grader, said she was particularly excited that the school also had an early dismissal right after the Pi Day celebration.
This year, the Canterbury Street School combined Pi Day with a Day of Kindness, which Principal Mary Sealey said is a new initiative.
"We focus on how to pay things forward, so for example Mr. Kokkinis is bringing the pies and that's an act of kindness - he doesn't need to bring the pies, he wants to bring the pies - and how can we pay forward his kindness by doing a kind act to someone else?" she said.