Suffolk Reporter

William Floyd High School senior Mathew Reis has been chosen for the YMCA Youth Advocate Program, a four-month training initiative that allows students to engage with Congress members in Washington, D.C. Mathew is among approximately 50 high school students nationwide selected this year and is the third student from William Floyd in recent years to receive this honor.

Mathew serves as the youth lieutenant governor for the New York State YMCA Youth and Government program. He manages statewide service projects and various executive tasks. This year, their service project completed over 1,300 hours of community service.

“Being selected for this opportunity is an incredible honor,” said Mathew. “Growing up in a district where advocacy is often necessary to secure resources, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for young leaders to be involved in shaping policy. This gives me the chance to not only represent New York but also learn from other youth advocates and bring back new strategies to support civic engagement at home.”

In his junior year, Mathew was deputy speaker of Assembly Freedom for Youth and Government. He was also twice selected as a delegate for the Conference on National Affairs (CONA), where his proposal placed him among the top 12 debaters out of about 60,000 participants nationally. He earned several awards including “Outstanding Statesman” at CONA.

Mathew and fellow senior Alice Chen were team winners in the YMCA Changemakers Project competition, addressing nitrogen pollution on Long Island. They received a $5,000 grant for their project.

Outside these roles, Mathew participates in Boy Scouts leadership, several honor societies, and volunteered over 120 hours last year. He is also New York State policy director for the American Youth Association.

After graduation, Mathew plans to major in justice and peace studies and government while continuing his advocacy work.

Mathew attended William Floyd schools from kindergarten through high school.