Assistant Principal Brian Knighton, above, was invited to use his problem solving skills to open the box. After some time, with students looking on, he persevered and finally found the secret box in the center.

After a study on two- and three-dimensional shapes, the students in Nada Cox’s first grade class were introduced to a ‘Japanese Puzzle Box.’

The puzzle box was given to her by her father, who served in Japan. Children in Japan were given these boxes to learn to problem-solve as they tried to figure out how to open them to get a piece of candy out of a drawer that is hidden in the center.

The students worked hard as they pushed and pulled small wooden pieces of the 3D shape to gain entrance.

Assistant Principal Brian Knighton, above, was then invited to come and use his problem solving skills to open the box. After some time, with students looking on, he persevered and finally found the secret box in the center.