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.