Giving back has been central to his life
Garland Gates ’74 found success in both government and education as a teacher and a tutor to hundreds of students working to obtain their GEDs and strengthen their economic futures.
While at SHS, he was a member of the concert choir, served as Bi-Phy-Chem Club president and was a delegate to Buckeye Boys State. He also joined the Shelby Area Democratic Club and became its president. After graduating he earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Ohio State University.
Garland diagnosed student learning needs and prescribed teaching strategies at Auburn Elementary School and Shelby Middle School before focusing on older students, teaching GED test preparation. For his more than 25 years at Pioneer Career & Technology Center, in 2014 the American Red Cross honored Garland with its Empowerment Educator Hero Award.
He was elected Shelby mayor – at 26 the youngest in the city’s history. During three terms he spearheaded the 1984 celebration of Shelby’s sesquicentennial and oversaw major infrastructure improvements. Ten years after those three terms ended, Garland was elected to 12 terms on Shelby’s City Council.
Among his accomplishments was writing the city’s Historic Preservation Ordinance to preserve the district’s history and character. Garland served as a Marvin Memorial Library trustee for 21 years, and in 2018 received the Jess Rath Christian Volunteer Service Award.
Observes an alumna, “In both education and government roles, Garland epitomized serving the greater good.”