Jerry Martin, 2018 Copper Black Award winner

Jerry Martin of Grass Valley, Calif., believes Sudoku, a puzzle pastime enjoyed by millions, can teach young students how to think, in addition to traditional school subjects, which teach what to think.

“I believe Sudoku is a powerful, practical, and appealing ‘tool’ for impacting the cognitive evolution of all humanity,” says Jerry, a retired educator who also won the 2010 Copper Black for his Saluting New Readers program.

Solo Sukoku activity excels at training logical thinking, but Jerry also focuses on developing “interpersonal intelligences” by holding an annual Children’s Team Sukoku Tournament, which includes weekly classes and YouTube videos. “I’m trying to persuade educators to recognize Sukoku’s value, starting here in my hometown and eventually spreading to many other school districts,” Jerry says.

The Copper Black Award for Creative Achievement is not given for the creativity of a person, but for a specific creative achievement that may include an invention that has been patented or otherwise demonstrated to be of practical value, or an innovation that has been implemented, at least in part, to the advantage of persons other than the nominee.