Paul Hostetler Heads 170 FFA Chapters With 8,000 Members LOU ANN GOOD Food And Family Features Editor HOLTWOOD (Lancaster Co.) As president of the state FFA, Paul Hostetter heads an 11-member leadership team that guides 8,000 members. Interacting with so many dif ferent personalities is a daunting task, but the personable 18-year-old faces the challenge with confidence. “The advantage of growing up the youngest of four children is that it rounds off my rough edges. They (siblings) are quick to tell you if you’re annoying. It teaches you to be accepting of others and to get along with al most everyone,” Hostetter said. Born on a 250-acre farm, Host etter became immersed in hard work at an early age. Now the energetic recent high school grad uate handles a construction job in addition to working on the family farm, operating a contract gilt operation, and heading the FFA. The son of Jim and Mary Louise Hostetter credits the farm work ethic with teaching him to do quality work. On the family’s 250-acre farm, about 170 acres are crop-farmed, which Hostetter helps plants and harvest. They have about 10 Angus, which graze the meadow. For many years the family had a 100 sow-to-finish operation. Recently, they scaled down be cause the buildings needed up dated. Instead, Hostetter and his brother Robert contracted with a feed company to raise gilts. The two brothers share responsibil ities, and their dad and uncle HU in. Hostetler said his many achievements are a reflection of the strong influences his family, church, and school has had on him. “When I was younger, my dad told me, ‘if you ever have the op portunity to better yourself, don’t turn it down.’ His advice still rings in my ears,” Hostetler said of his participation in many dif ferent experiences. His mom said that from little on up, her son has always dis played a unique characteristic. “He is my reasonable child. He’d listen intently to conversations and then propose a solution. He is a strategist. He is flexible, has a great personality, and makes friends easily.” Hostetler’s older brother Jim had been a charter member of the LMH FFA established in 1993. His involvement sparked Hostet ler’s interest in FFA. When he became a high school freshman, a vision to become a state officer formed in his mind. Although Hostetler has a strong hands-on farm experience, he said that his involvement in FFA exposed him to other facets fe wer Paul Hostetter of Hans Herr FFA Chapter heads the state organization with 170 FFA chapters and 8,000 mem bers. He said, “The farm work ethic has taught me to do quality work and be responsible in getting done.” of agriculture. He especially en joys business management. The Hans Herr Chapter at Lancaster Mennonite High (LMH) has the distinction of hav ing two of their graduating sen iors providing state FFA leader ship. In addition to Hostetter, iris classmate Jeremy Ranck, Chris tiana, was named eastern region vice president. It’s rare to have two state officers from the same school. “It’s really a credit to our school. We have excellent ag teachers who are very assisting in helping us, and they challenge us (students) to push out of our comfort zones and try new things,” Hostetter said of Leh man Metzler and Christopher Ochs. For example, Hostetler said that he had not considered enter ing competition in the interview process until his ag teachers en- couraged him. Not only did Host etter place third in state competi tion but also, he said, the process has benefited him in so many sit uations and, he expects, will con tinue to do so. Many of the FFA activities Hostetter participated in enabled him to hone public-speaking skills. He had the thrill of being part of the state team that com- “I couldn’t have done this on my own,” Paul Hostetter said of his appointment as Pennsylvania FFA president. Paul credits his parents, James and Mary Louise Hostetter, for their guidance and support in encouraging him to do his best. peted in national livestock judging. “The team worked hard and it paid off, which gave us incentive to work even harder,” Hostetter said. His FFA chapter also awarded him the outstanding leader award, Dekalb Award, and Keystone Degree. “1 like to experience new things. Through FFA, I had the opportunity to travel a lot.” One of his trips was to Utah with the National Institute for Cooperative Education (NICE). “We learned about proprietor ships, partnerships, cooperatives, and corporations,” Hostetter said. His interest with numbers and the Utah conference fueled his interest in a possible career in ag business. For one year, Hostetter is put ting college on hold so that he can dedicate himself fuUy to being an effective president, stressing the selected theme “Soaring Above and Beyond” when visiting the state’s 170 FFA chapters. To become a FFA officer, stu dents send in an application. If i i The advantage of growing up the youngest of four children is that it rounds off my rough edges. They (siblings) are quick to tell you if you’re annoying. It teaches you to be accepting of others and to get along with almost everyone. 5 5 they are accepted, they partici pate in a three-day interview pro cess during the FFA convention conducted on the Penn State campus. The applicant does not have the choice for a particular office. Instead, the nominating commit tee observes all the candidates in group settings to determine the most suitable office for each per son. In addition to traditional re quirements such as prepared and impromptu speeches, the appli cants are assigned unique situa tions. For example, in one occa sion, the candidates were handed a lollipop, utensil, and plate and told to equate it to FFA. The team members needed to discuss and conclude among themselves before presenting their final deci sion. They competing against the best students from FFA chapters across the state. All the candi dates have leadership skills and are accustomed to taking charge. At the end of the convention, the winners are named during a rousing convention filled with an ticipation. “Opportunities in FFA are endless. The traditional tie to ag riculture remains, but FFA is changing to embrace all facets of agriculture, such as floriculture, biotechnology, and public speak ing,” Hostetter said. The state officer team includes six students from active farms and five off-farm. “The mix is a good example of what FFA is all about. Fifty percent of our mem bers do not live on farms,” Host etter said. “FFA teaches such practical skills. Those who participate are not helpless when it comes to fix ing things,” he said. Hostetter was selected to at- Paul Hostetter President, Pennsylvania FFA tend the Pennsylvania Governor School in the year 2000. His ex perience during those weeks in fluenced him to want to attend Penn State to study ag business. He would like to combine an ag career with pastoring. He said, “Being a Christian, I want to ac cept the challenge of furthering God’s kingdom. I always attempt to live out the Christian life.” When his one-year term as state FFA president is finished. Hostetter would like to work six months as a guide for a hunting service, preferably in Idaho, be fore continuing his college stud ies.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers