Inspiring Minds

Communist Carebear stands on his metal pedestal on a file cabinet, surveying students as they try to find their misplaced government homework.

Down the hall, a discussion about human rights and freedom escalates into a debate among students.

Just a few paces away, a booming voice lectures about the New Deal and the repercussions of the Great Depression.

For Las Vegas Academy students in the social studies department, these are everyday occurrences.

Shea Dokken, the psychology, sociology and advance placement government teacher, hordes rows of multicolored stuffed animals; Robert "Bob" Zambon calls on students to take an analytical view of world affairs and the U.S. government; the characterized "nice one" of the three, Aidan Gorman, relates U.S. history to the modern world in order to enmesh students in his lecture.

Nicknamed after Frazier Hall at the academy, the "Frazier Trio" strive to teach the concepts and ideas beyond the facts of social studies.

"I expect them to be able to understand the truth about our government while still being mature enough to support it," Dokken says. "I treat them like adults and force them to look at the reality beyond the definitions."

Dokken is in his eighth year at the school, Gorman is in his sixth and Zambon is in his 14th.

To keep students engrossed in lessons, the three employ an array of antics, including satire and the sheer volume of their voices.

Gorman injects humor into his PowerPoint slide shows and relates them to lulls found in certain presidencies. For example, he connected Martin Van Buren, a president who did nothing about racial tension before the Civil War, to Wolverine, a protagonist from the popular "X-Men" comics, because of both characters' sideburns.

"I try to make history about a bunch of dead, white guys more interesting and as educational and entertaining as possible," Gorman says.

Students in his morning classes say his resounding voice clears their drowsy senses and prevents any sleeping.

Communist Carebear and Acoustic Kitty proudly stand upon Dokken's file cabinet, waiting to become part of his lectures. Companion Genocide Carebear couples with other furry friends to symbolize his students' initial perception of the U.S. government.

"His Carebears show that the whole entire world is not rainbows and sunshine," says Claire Wixom, a senior taking Dokken's AP government class.

Both Dokken and Zambon expose the dishonesty of politicians -- conservative and liberal alike -- taking no prisoners on their advocacy for conceptual analysis.

Zambon attempts to dig out students' opinions concerning government and world affairs while still teaching essential concepts. His teaching agenda flexes with each new discussion and accompanies a free-flowing, amiable atmosphere of discussion.

"My students know that I'm here for them," he says.

Together, the "Frazier Trio" inspire students to become more receptive to the world that surrounds them.

Junior Melody Fowler benefits from having both Gorman and Zambon in one academic year.

"I came into my junior year thinking about an opinion but not having any solid evidence to back it up," she says. "This year, I have become secure enough in myself and my opinions to be able to produce an incredibly supportive argument for all of my ideas."