NHSBBQA® - Founder’s Declaration

NHSBBQA® — Founder’s Declaration

A Public Statement of Origin, Continuity, and Educational Purpose

The entity "organization", "National High School BBQ Association", "national youth BBQ education body (NHSBBQA®) was founded to serve students, educators, and schools through hands-on, project-based learning centered on live fire cooking, barbecue, and culinary education.

This public Founder’s Declaration is provided to ensure clarity, transparency, and historical accuracy as educational barbecue continues to grow nationally.

Our Origin

NHSBBQA® traces its roots to an educator-developed program created within Texas public schools at Burnet High School in Burnet, Texas, where barbecue and live fire cooking were first used as an instructional tool to engage students in Career & Technical Education (CTE).

NHSBBQA® was founded by Chef Mike Erickson, an educator who developed this program within Texas public schools.

From the beginning, the program was designed to:

• Connect classroom learning to real-world skills

• Build leadership, teamwork, and responsibility

• Emphasize safety, professionalism, and accountability

• Create meaningful pathways to culinary, agriculture, and food science careers

Why NHSBBQA® Exists

The National High School BBQ Association® was created by an educator who saw firsthand how live fire cooking and barbecue could transform student engagement, confidence, and career awareness.

What began as a classroom-based learning experience grew into a national movement because students thrived when learning was hands-on, meaningful, and connected to real-world skills. NHSBBQA® exists to protect that original purpose as the program expands—ensuring that schools, educators, and students always come first.

Today, NHSBBQA® provides clear governance, safe pathways, and national continuity so that educational barbecue remains exactly what it was meant to be: learning before competition, and students before branding.

Growth and Evolution

As interest in the program expanded beyond individual classrooms and school districts, it became clear that a state and national structure was needed to protect students, support educators, and ensure consistency across states.

Like many successful educational initiatives, early versions of the program existed before today’s national organization which our founder was part of. Over time, governance models evolved to better serve schools at scale.

The National High School BBQ Association® was established to carry this original educational mission forward with clear leadership, transparent governance, and a long-term national vision.

Continuity of Mission

NHSBBQA® represents a continuation of the founding educational vision, not a departure from it.

Core principles that have remained consistent include:

• Education-first programming

• Teacher-led, school-based participation

• Alignment with CTE pathways and workforce readiness

• Safe, structured, and student-centered competitions

This continuity ensures that growth strengthens—not dilutes—the educational value of the program.

Independence and Integrity

NHSBBQA® operates as an independent educational organization.

While we respect and collaborate with CTSOs, trade associations, nonprofits, and industry partners, no outside organization defines our origin, mission, or governance unless expressly stated in a formal, written agreement.

Any similarly named programs or initiatives operate independently unless explicitly affiliated with NHSBBQA®.

Commitment to Schools and Students

This Founder’s Declaration exists for one reason: to protect schools, educators, and students from confusion as educational barbecue continues to grow.

NHSBBQA® remains committed to:

• Transparency and good-faith leadership

• Long-term stability for school programs

• Clear governance and accountability

• Putting students and educators first—always

Looking Ahead

As NHSBBQA® expands nationally, we remain grounded in the values that inspired the program from the start:

Education before competition. Students before branding. Learning through fire, food, and teamwork.

For questions about our history, governance, or national role, we welcome open conversation and verification.

This public statement reflects our ongoing commitment to clarity, integrity, and service in education.

Chef Mike Erickson
Founder, National High School BBQ Association® (NHSBBQA®)

National Authority & Sanctioning

CTSO-Neutral Position Paper

School Registration or Charter pages