Treva Gear
Office
Running for State Representative, Georgia, District 175 (2018)
Biography
I was born and raised in Adel, Georgia and have four older siblings (two brothers, two sisters), which makes me the fifth Gear. Like so many others, I received my K-12 schooling in the Cook County School System (I’m a hornet forever) and excelled as an athlete and a scholar. I also played a mean trombone thanks to the outstanding music department at Cook High School.
Both my parents (Ulysses and Fairy Gear) were factory workers at Nashville Mills which provided hefty wages for such a rural area when compared to the cost of living at that time. Their wages afforded us a comfortable, middle-class life. My mother left the factory prior to my father and later became a bus driver for the Cook County School System. My father retired after working 35 years to have his pension limited by the company’s bankruptcy. This was the beginning of the trends of companies going bankrupt and robbing the working class of their pensions.
Inspired by my parents (both of whom stressed a good education from day one) I attended Valdosta State University where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education with certifications in broad field science (biology, physical science, etc.), special education, and social science.
After graduating from Valdosta State I enlisted in the U.S. Army as a medic (91W). I was stationed at Fort Stewart where I had the great pleasure of supporting and treating soldiers in the TMCs (Troop Medical Clinics). I administered immunizations and gained vast experience working closely with physician assistants in the clinic and truly enjoyed my service as a dog-faced soldier—hooah!!
With an honorable discharge from the Army, I pursued a master’s degree in postsecondary education from Troy University and continued in Adult and Career Education. I hold a EdD in the field from Valdosta State University after accepting the honor of Doctoral Student of the Year for the Adult and Career Education department.
I chose this degree because I wanted to help bridge the gap between high school and post-high school options for students—a challenging time in life for most of us. Well over half of seniors graduate from high school without any kind of plan for their futures. Teenagers moving into young adulthood need to understand the importance of lifelong learning and its connection to their vitality. My reoccurring interest (and research) in social justice, access to higher education, and Latina/o transition to higher education manifested into my specialty.
I have 13 years of experience in K-12 education with 12 spent within the Lowndes County School System. I spent 10 years teaching biology and physical science (one year was spent teaching sixth grade geography at Brooks County Middle School). I have experience teaching special education, college prep, and PreAP courses.In 2015, I was selected as the Lowndes High Teacher of the Year.
Currently, I proudly serve as Lowndes High School’s first Instructional Coach. I provide and facilitate professional learning, instructional support, and individual coaching to teachers and staff in order to increase teacher effectiveness and student learning. I love my job! Source: Treva Gear.com
Priorities
Education
As an educator, my fellow educators and I are tasked with equipping each student with the knowledge and skills needed to prosper in college, careers, and in life. We act as surrogate mothers and fathers during the school day and we invest a great deal of time into our students. However, adequate funding and pro-education policies and legislation are necessary to meet the educational needs of all students to build a better Georgia.
Health Care
All of Georgia’s citizens should have affordable and quality health insurance that covers preventative services, unexpected illness/disease, and emergencies. In District 175, a few of the most common disease-related causes of premature death are associated with hypertension, renal disease, and heart disease (Georgia Department of Public Health). All of these can be avoided with preventative care that citizens cannot afford due to the lack of quality and affordable health insurance. No one should suffer a financial hardship due to an accident, cancer, or other disease. The Medicaid expansion provided by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which is funded by Georgia tax dollars is needed to save citizens’ lives as well as provide funding to keep our rural hospitals up and running. I am committed to fight for the Medicaid expansion as well as introduce and vote for other healthcare legislation that benefits citizens.
Our Veterans
As a veteran, I want to ensure that all of my fellow veterans get the services that they need in a timely manner. There are many veterans who suffer from PTSD and other physical illness, but are delayed in receiving any service-connected health benefits. I have two neighbors who have served and they are both awaiting answers, but they have been waiting too long already. One Brooks County veteran not only told me that the period of time that it takes to get treatment is ridiculous, but that he has been paying out-of-pocket for treatment and medicine.
A Living Wage
The federal minimum wage is $7.25, but Georgia’s state minimum wage is $5.15 for businesses not required to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Furthermore, the federal minimum wage for servers, bartenders, and other workers who receive tips is $2.13, which is extremely low and outdated. Employers are required to make up the difference when these workers earn under $7.25 per hour after tips are applied, but this does not always happen which is wage theft. Neither of these rates of pay are adequate for providing the basic needs of life to keep an individual or a family out of poverty. As a result, many individuals fall into the category of the working poor which places the middle class far from their reach. No individual should work 40 hours per week and not be able to provide the basic needs of life for themselves or their family. The current minimum wage undermines the benefit of individuals working hard, because they are never paid what they are worth. This is a broken bootstrap that I will help mend by writing and voting for legislation to increase our state minimum wage to a living wage. #realpayforaworkday
I feel strongly that we must keep these services out of the private sector. I will write and advocate for legislation that improves, preserves, and/or extends services and benefits to all veterans. We must ensure that our veterans have the basic needs of life. They have served the country and the country must now serve them.
Transportation
Public transportation creates access and opportunities that promotes upward social mobility. Currently, a true public transit system does not exist in any town within District 175. According to citizens in the district, the current South Georgia Regional shuttle system is not adequate for individuals who need to get to medical appointments, work, school, or grocery shopping in a timely manner. It’s not a shuttle that you would use for daily transportation needs.
The lack of public transit creates an access issue, which places many opportunities out of reach for our most vulnerable communities. This results in many citizens being geographically isolated from quality career and post-high school education opportunities. In order to attract new industry to our district intercity public transportation must be in the plan. Skilling our workforce by creating access to educational institutions and providing access to quality job opportunities are vital to economic growth in District 175 and throughout the state of Georgia.
Voting Rights
Protecting the rights of voter is paramount to our democratic process. Fighting against voter purge from registration and Gerrymandering. The District 175 lines have been re-drawn since 2006.
Equality
All individuals should have equal rights and opportunities regardless of their gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, or disability. It is important that laws that provide equal protections for these groups be passed. Legislation must be passed in order for Georgia to progress and uphold civil and human rights.
Source: Treva Gear.com
Treva Gear
...
Office
Running for State Representative, Georgia, District 175 (2018)
Biography
I was born and raised in Adel, Georgia and have four older siblings (two brothers, two sisters), which makes me the fifth Gear. Like so many others, I received my K-12 schooling in the Cook County School System (I’m a hornet forever) and excelled as an athlete and a scholar. I also played a mean trombone thanks to the outstanding music department at Cook High School.
Both my parents (Ulysses and Fairy Gear) were factory workers at Nashville Mills which provided hefty wages for such a rural area when compared to the cost of living at that time. Their wages afforded us a comfortable, middle-class life. My mother left the factory prior to my father and later became a bus driver for the Cook County School System. My father retired after working 35 years to have his pension limited by the company’s bankruptcy. This was the beginning of the trends of companies going bankrupt and robbing the working class of their pensions.
Inspired by my parents (both of whom stressed a good education from day one) I attended Valdosta State University where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education with certifications in broad field science (biology, physical science, etc.), special education, and social science.
After graduating from Valdosta State I enlisted in the U.S. Army as a medic (91W). I was stationed at Fort Stewart where I had the great pleasure of supporting and treating soldiers in the TMCs (Troop Medical Clinics). I administered immunizations and gained vast experience working closely with physician assistants in the clinic and truly enjoyed my service as a dog-faced soldier—hooah!!
With an honorable discharge from the Army, I pursued a master’s degree in postsecondary education from Troy University and continued in Adult and Career Education. I hold a EdD in the field from Valdosta State University after accepting the honor of Doctoral Student of the Year for the Adult and Career Education department.
I chose this degree because I wanted to help bridge the gap between high school and post-high school options for students—a challenging time in life for most of us. Well over half of seniors graduate from high school without any kind of plan for their futures. Teenagers moving into young adulthood need to understand the importance of lifelong learning and its connection to their vitality. My reoccurring interest (and research) in social justice, access to higher education, and Latina/o transition to higher education manifested into my specialty.
I have 13 years of experience in K-12 education with 12 spent within the Lowndes County School System. I spent 10 years teaching biology and physical science (one year was spent teaching sixth grade geography at Brooks County Middle School). I have experience teaching special education, college prep, and PreAP courses.In 2015, I was selected as the Lowndes High Teacher of the Year.
Currently, I proudly serve as Lowndes High School’s first Instructional Coach. I provide and facilitate professional learning, instructional support, and individual coaching to teachers and staff in order to increase teacher effectiveness and student learning. I love my job! Source: Treva Gear.com
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Priorities
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