鈥淚 lived [in Austin] for a summer, and a bunch of things happened all at once,鈥� Hostetter said. 鈥淗arlem got signed to a record label. And right as soon as that happened I decided that the rock-and-roll lifestyle was not for me鈥�. We went all over the United States playing shows, and I said, 鈥楾his is not the kind of lifestyle that I can live.鈥欌��

So Hostetter returned to his hometown and approached , chair of the undergraduate teacher program at 黑料正能量, about gaining a degree in education.

鈥淲hen he first explored the option of pursuing the program, he didn鈥檛 have either English or education as his major. So he was kind of starting over, after already having the undergrad degree,鈥� Smeltzer Erb said.

鈥淎nd what so inspired me from the very beginning, which I think speaks highly of his character,鈥� she continued, 鈥渨as the way in which he interacted with peers who were several years younger, in age, and several years younger in development as teachers. He just navigated that classroom with such integrity, such interest, such grace.鈥�

This spring, Hostetter was honored as one of five . His peers selected him to represent Shelburne Middle School, where he is a 6th-grade language arts teacher.

鈥淚鈥檝e been playing music since middle school,鈥� said Hostetter, whose mother, Louise ’79, was recently in 2017-18. 鈥淲hen I graduated high school, I think I knew in the back of my mind that I would be a teacher eventually, but Berklee was kind of my way to prevent that from happening right away, because music was my first love.鈥�

Raised in a Mennonite family and educated at , Hostetter developed early on a sense of social responsibility that influenced his decision to become a teacher.

鈥淚 think that probably a lot of my calling has to do with my Anabaptist heritage, the whole idea of serving the community, serving others,鈥� Hostetter said.

鈥淚 want [my students] to develop a love for reading and a love for learning and discovery,鈥� said Hostetter, who occasionally uses his vintage 鈥�73 Epiphone electric guitar to incorporate music into a lesson. 鈥淲hen I meet a student at the beginning of the year who doesn鈥檛 necessarily like reading, or isn鈥檛 very excited about language arts, if I can foster some kind of change in that disposition, I think that鈥檚 incredibly rewarding 鈥� because the habits that they make in 6th grade are usually the ones that they take with them for the rest of their academic careers.鈥�

Last summer, Hostetter married Staunton 4th grade teacher, Nicole Barbano Hostetter. who was also one of the five teachers recognized as Teacher of the Year for Staunton City Schools. She was chosen from the faculty of Bessie Weller Elementary School.

The two met at a Staunton bakery three years ago, shortly before teacher orientation began.

鈥淲e were both first-year teachers and it was definitely luck that we were in the same place at the same time,鈥� Nicole said. 鈥淲e were both coming from different experiences, and I think that making the transition to teaching together was such a good experience for us to have. We really supported each other that first year and we continue to do that now.鈥�

Smeltzer Erb attributes John Hostetter鈥檚 success in the classroom to his deep passion for learning to teach over time, and his respect for middle-schoolers and colleagues alike.

“For many students, the classroom is perhaps the only safe place in their day,鈥� Smeltzer Erb said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the place where somebody like John can truly care about them as individuals.鈥�

As one of just two 6th grade English teachers in Staunton, Hostetter鈥檚 job connects him to the community.

鈥淪helburne is wonderful because I get to know half the children who are in Staunton City schools,鈥� Hostetter said. 鈥淲hen my wife and I are walking through the park, I mean, everybody knows us 鈥�. And because you鈥檙e teaching, and you鈥檙e spending seven hours a day with these kids, you get to know the parents pretty well, and I think it does provide a service. I think that public education is an extension of the community.鈥�

Hostetter hasn鈥檛 abandoned music. He has 鈥渢oo many鈥� guitars, a home recording studio and plays guitar in a local band named 鈥淓lephant Child.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e got my guitar in the classroom, and they think that鈥檚 the coolest thing in the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I try to goof around on occasion, and sometimes I鈥檒l play my guitar, and they love that. But it鈥檚 not every day that I get to actually sit and sing to them.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to dress up like Johnny Cash here in the next couple weeks, for a history lesson.鈥�

A third individual selected as Staunton Teacher of the Year, Dixon Educational Center art teacher Gina Gaines, is also an 黑料正能量 alum, having taken classes in the late 1970s.