Will Long

USYA 2025 Costa Rica Alum Proposes Legislative Bill Endorsing Civic Debate

Will Long, a participant in the 2025 United States Youth Ambassadors (USYA) Costa Rica program, is translating global exchange into bold civic action here at home. Will is currently working on The Alabama Civics Initiative (ACI), a proposed legislative bill that would invest $1.2 million annually over three years (a total of $3.6 million), to strengthen civics education across Alabama through expanded speech and debate programming.

Through this initiative, Will is championing the core principles of democracy, civic literacy, and informed participation, with a focus on ensuring that students, especially those in under-resourced communities, have access to the tools needed to engage critically and constructively in public life. His work reflects the heart of the Youth Ambassadors mission: empowering young leaders to practice diplomacy, drive democratic values, and create lasting institutional change. We are incredibly proud to see Will leading at the intersection of policy, education, and civic engagement.

Related Program

Youth Ambassadors

Youth Ambassadors is a cultural exchange program designed to strengthen the leadership skills of young people from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States. It builds bonds of friendship and understanding between people of the Americas and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.