These objectives are reached through the two-fold process of classroom lectures and role-playing.

Upon arrival at Boys State the delegates are assigned to one of 2 imaginary political parties, the "Federalists" or the "Nationalists". Membership in these parties forms the core of the educational experience.

Classroom instruction is provided on subjects such as law, civil service and election procedure. Other special "schools" are held prior to elections to inform candidates of the duties of the office they seek and after election to cover how the elected officers and appointees can carry out their duties. All citizens of Boys State receive instruction in Parliamentary Procedure.

As members of these political parties the "citizens" of Boys State hold party caucuses and conventions, develop party platforms, hold voter registration drives, nominate candidates, hold election campaigns for local and state offices and hold actual elections for those offices.  After election, the elected officers, appointees and citizen staff members actually perform some of the functions of their office. Operation of courts and the development and passage of legislation are learning activities that serve as major educational components of the program.

Members of the state legislature, with the help of their "staffs" develop and introduce bills into congress. Once introduced, these bills are debated and voted upon.

Two of the young men are selected as national Senators and later are sent to Washington, DC where they participate in the national American Legion program, Boys Nation.

Delegates to Tar Heel Boys' State must be sponsored by a North Carolina American Legion Post. While other organizations may propose students for participation in the program and provide the tuition, the student must be interviewed, approved and sponsored by an American Legion post. The sponsoring post will assume the responsibility for the delegates attendance, signed medical form, essay, transportation to and from Catawba College and tuition fees.