Boys State is made up of about 400 young men who have just completed their junior year of high school. They are selected to attend Boy State by their local American Legion Post based on their leadership and character. They form the mythical state of Magnolia where they are divided up into groups of 12 cities and 6 counties.

Delegates learn how state and local government and elections work by campaigning for one of the many offices on the state, county, or municipal level and then actually doing the work that their real-world counterpart would do. They work on bills in their legislature and they work on economic development projects in their city, all the while competing against other delegates and cities.

This "practical experience" will allow the delegates to leave Boys State with a real-world understanding of democracy, from campaigning for office to the many dynamics of state and local government."