The LSMSA Foundation Exceeds Goals, Raises $77,255 During Pi Day of Giving Fundraiser

The LSMSA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to develop and manage resources that enhance the work of Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA), raised a total of $77,255 through 319 donations during its annual Pi Day of Giving fundraiser held on March 14, 2024.

“This was my first major project as Executive Director of the LSMSA Foundation, and it’s been a tremendous experience witnessing this outpouring of support for LSMSA among alumni, parents, students, and the community,” said Michelle Robinson, whose appointment to lead the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was announced earlier this year.
     

Fundraising efforts, which ramped up in the days leading up to Pi Day, included a phone-a-thon, matching fund challenges, and the promise that LSMSA Executive Director Dr. Steve Horton would allow a student to hit him with a pie if the Foundation met its goal before the end of the day. Dr. Horton kept his promise and was pied in the face by LSMSA Student of the Year Sam Ryan on the stage of Treen Auditorium during an uproarious convocation held at 4:15 p.m. on Pi Day. Several instructors at LSMSA incorporated the mathematical concept of pi into their lesson plans for the day, and various types of pie were served around campus.  

One hundred percent of funds raised on Pi Day will support students and faculty in pursuing educational and intellectual endeavors that go above and beyond a typical classroom experience. Typical uses of LSMSA funds include: assistance paying for college campus visits and transportation; registration fees, travel, and lodging expenses associated with conferences and academic competitions; and general assistance with paying for things that students often need, but cannot afford.