A 2014 Letters About Literature Honoree Now & Then

It was the spring of 2014 and Harwich High School sophomore Ashley Benson had been invited to the Massachusetts State House to be congratulated by legislators and honored by Massachusetts Center for the Book (MCB) at its annual Letters About Literature (LAL) Awards ceremony.

As part of her language arts curriculum that year, Ashley had written an articulate letter to author Elie Wiesel about Night, his memoir of surviving two Nazi concentration camps; the letter had been selected among the Commonwealth’s strongest submissions of that year’s LAL program, a reading and writing initiative administered by MCB.

Ashley traveled from Cape Cod to Boston with her parents, Christine and Peter Benson. The event allowed her to meet and interact with other honorees from across the Commonwealth, and she was formally acknowledged by her state representatives with a legislative citation. “The entire experience, from writing the first draft of my letter to traveling to the State House for the awards ceremony, really helped to build my self-confidence and sense of creativity,” Ashley reflected.

Ashley pictured at the State House for the 2014 LAL Awards Ceremony.

“I remember being amazed at the architecture within the State House, especially the Grand Staircase, thinking to myself, ‘It would be so cool to work in a building like this someday.’ “

Upon graduating as a member of the second class of the newly opened Monomoy Regional High School, Ashley crossed the pond for her undergraduate education and received her degree in Politics in 2020 from The University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Fast forward to today: she is Director of Operations & Community Engagement in the Office of State Senator Julian Cyr, who represents the Cape & Islands District in which she was raised.

L-R: Ashley Benson shown in 2023 with Governor Maura Healey, fellow Senate staffer Augusta Davis, and Senator Julian Cyr at the State House Pride Flag Raising in June.

In her role, Ashley manages office operations and constituent services for Senator Cyr and has been able to get involved in some policy projects, such as housing, which is a priority issue in the senator’s district. “I rely heavily on the writing skills I developed throughout my education to communicate with constituents and summarize complex policy issues on a daily basis,” she noted. “I really love the work that I do – I’m constantly learning new things, and I get to apply the tools I’ve been given during my time as a student in an exciting and rewarding way.”

To arive at her office every day, Ashley enters the Massachusetts State House and proceeds along the hallways of the iconic Charles Bulfinch-designed landmark, passing the majestic marble statuary, columns, memorials, and murals alongside today’s government leaders and their staff engaged in service to the Commonwealth’s citizens. While no longer a wide-eyed adolescent, she still senses the awe of her first visit to the seat of Massachusetts government and appreciates the history of the building and the importance of the work conducted there.

Christine Benson with Ashley at the State House after the 2014 ceremony.

For more information about Letters About Literature, visit the program’s website page and associated links.