Nisqually Valley Barbecue Rally’s youth burger competition aims to grow next generation

As the Nisqually Valley Barbecue Rally’s seventh iteration draws to a conclusion, one of the event’s newer traditions — the youth burger challenge — was deemed a grand success by the competition’s host and several of the contest’s contestants.

Dustin Stephan, president and co-founder of Youth Athletics Recreation Development (YARD), helped run the 2026 youth burger challenge on Saturday, July 25, at Yelm City Park as part of the barbecue rally — though Ferguson Insurance was the event sponsor of the youth burger challenge.

“We’re happy to be doing the youth burger challenge out here at the Nisqually Valley Barbecue Rally,” Stephan told the Nisqually Valley News during the competition. “We have four contestants this year, and the idea is that the kids do all of the cooking and prep. Parents are allowed to help with the initial grill and station setup, but they take a hands-off approach and let the kids go to work and create their burger.”

Stephan added that with his role at YARD Campus, his entire thought process and belief system is to empower the youth within the general community. When the opportunity to help run the youth burger challenge arose, he felt like the decision was a no brainer.

“It’s a natural fit to really promote to the youth about learning how to cook, learning how to get behind the grill and growing those skillsets from a recreational and life skills standpoint,” Stephan said. “It’s really cool to see these kids come out here.”

Additionally, Stephan said one of the contestants recently found out about the Nisqually Valley Barbecue Rally’s youth burger challenge while attending the South Sound Barbecue Festival on July 11. He believes that Yelm is beginning to become more regionalized within the Thurston County and South Puget Sound regions.

“The Yelm Chamber of Commerce and the volunteer board of directors has done a great job of getting the word out there,” Stephan said. “Every year, we get bigger and see more vendors, more events. It started (Friday) night with the pre-party and the corn hole tournament going on. They’ve done a really good job of expanding. It’s a bigger and bigger draw each year. As Yelm continues to grow, it’s important that we become regionally relevant.”

Stephan added that Yelm is only able to put on events like the youth burger challenge and Nisqually Valley Barbecue Rally because of the support that the local community gives it year in and year out.

“When we see the volume of people coming in, when vendors are supported — that’s what matters,” Stephan said. “Everyone asks for things to do within the community and there are organizations and groups putting these activities on. It’s important that, overall, as a society and as a community that we’re supporting that so we can continue to have these fun events for everybody to enjoy.”

Kekai Kopp, one of the contestants in the Nisqually Valley Barbecue Rally’s youth burger competition, told the Nisqually Valley News that he was pretty excited to be attending the event and showing off his skills on the barbecue.

“We’re out here today cooking burgers and trying to win some money by winning,” Kopp said, referencing the cash prize for the event winner. “It’s all about the fun, though. I’ve been having a good time today. It’s been pretty fun out here.”

According to Kekai, he cooked up a bacon burger with tomato, onions and a secret sauce for judges to taste and enjoy.

“I kind of just got all of the stuff and put it all together. It’s my favorite way to eat a burger,” Kekai said. “Barbecuing is pretty fun.”

He added that he learned to barbecue from his dad — which is a hobby the two enjoy bonding together over.

“When he was three years old, we have pictures of him flipping steaks on the grill and he’s always enjoyed it,” Thomas Kopp, Kekai’s father, said on Saturday, July 26. “He’s the jack of all trades, master of none,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun out here. It’s his first time doing it.”

Kazz Blevins, another one of the contestants in the 2026 youth burger competition, said he was excited to be competing in the event at Yelm City Park.

“I’m out here cooking burgers and having a fun time in the burger competition. It’s my first time,” Blevins said. “I made a parmesan cheese burger with a little beef rub. It’s my favorite way to eat a burger right now.”

Additionally, Blevins said he was inspired by another recipe but decided to give his own spin to the parmesan cheese burger. He believed it would be better with some extra ingredients and his own unique touch.