Certification | National High School BBQ Association® (NHSBBQA®)

NHSBBQA® Certification Overview for volunteers

Last Updated: 12-17-2025

• Judge & State Director Certification

  1. Purpose of Certification

  The National High School BBQ Association® (NHSBBQA®) maintains a formal Certification Program to ensure that all individuals serving in judging, leadership, and oversight roles within NHSBBQA®-sanctioned programs operate with educational integrity, consistency, and accountability.

  Certification establishes national standards for conduct, evaluation, and governance in school-based barbecue and live-fire cooking programs and protects students, schools, districts, sponsors, and partners.

  Certification is required for participation in designated NHSBBQA® roles.

  2. Scope of Certification

  NHSBBQA® certification applies to individuals serving in the following roles:

  • Certified Educational Judges (CEJ)

  • State Directors

  • Individuals acting in official leadership, oversight, or evaluative capacities at NHSBBQA®-sanctioned events

  Certification is role-specific and does not automatically apply across multiple roles.

  3. Educational Foundation

  NHSBBQA® programs operate within middle school and high school educational environments. Certification ensures that all certified individuals:

  • Understand the educational mission of NHSBBQA®

  • Apply student-centered and age-appropriate standards

  • Support learning, skill development, and character growth

  • Maintain safe, respectful, and supervised environments

  Certification reinforces the distinction between educational food sport and adult entertainment or festival-based competitions.

  4. Certified Educational Judges (CEJ)

  Certified Educational Judges are authorized to evaluate student participation and performance at NHSBBQA®-sanctioned events.

  CEJ certification confirms that the judge:

  • Applies nationally defined NHSBBQA® judging standards

  • Evaluates student learning, technique, process, and presentation

  • Avoids personal preference or adult competition scoring norms

  • Maintains professionalism, impartiality, and appropriate conduct

  • Understands safety, supervision, and conflict-of-interest requirements

  Judges may only serve at NHSBBQA®-sanctioned events after certification is completed and verified.

  5. State Director Certification

  State Directors serve as the primary leadership authority for NHSBBQA® programs within a chartered state association.

  State Director certification confirms that the individual:

  • Operates under NHSBBQA® national governance

  • Implements national standards at the state level

  • Supports schools, districts, and educators

  • Oversees regional and state events

  • Ensures compliance with safety, verification, and certification requirements

  State Directors do not operate independently and are accountable to NHSBBQA® national policies and oversight.

  6. Certification Standards & Accountability

  All NHSBBQA® certifications:

  • Are issued for educational service, not personal status

  • Are non-transferable

  • Require acknowledgment of ethics and conduct standards

  • Are subject to review, suspension, or revocation

  • May be renewed or updated as standards evolve

  NHSBBQA® maintains a national credential registry for certified judges and state directors.

  7. What Certification Is — and Is Not

  Certification IS:

  • A requirement for participation in NHSBBQA®-sanctioned roles

  • A safeguard for students, schools, and districts

  • A commitment to national educational standards

  Certification IS NOT:

  • A personal endorsement or lifetime credential

  • A qualification for adult barbecue competitions

  • A replacement for school or district policies

  Local schools and districts always retain authority over their programs.

  8. Certification Process (Overview)

  Certification generally includes:

  • Role-specific training or orientation

  • Review of standards, safety, and conduct expectations

  • Acknowledgment of ethics and conflict-of-interest requirements

  • Inclusion in the NHSBBQA® credential registry

  Specific certification requirements may vary by role and are communicated through official NHSBBQA® onboarding channels.

  9. Maintaining Certification

  Certified individuals are expected to:

  • Uphold NHSBBQA® standards at all times

  • Act in good faith as educational representatives

  • Disclose potential conflicts of interest

  • Support the educational mission of NHSBBQA®

  Failure to meet standards may result in review or loss of certification.

  10. Statement of Authority

  NHSBBQA® is an educational sanctioning body for school-based programs.
  Certification is issued solely by NHSBBQA® and applies only to NHSBBQA®-sanctioned activities.

  © 2026 National High School BBQ Association®, Inc. All rights reserved.
  NHSBBQA®, National High School BBQ Association®, THE S.L.A.B.®, COME EAT OUR HOMEWORK!®, and WHERE DREAMS IGNITE!® are registered trademarks.
  Certification is issued for educational service and may be reviewed or revoked.

We are working towards making certification required for judges and state directors participating in NHSBBQA®-sanctioned events.

NHSBBQA® is an educational sanctioning body for school-based programs.
Adult competitions, festivals, and entertainment events operate independently and are not governed by NHSBBQA®.