Some stories are too powerful to stay on the pages of a book. Students from U.S. History and German classes at Cumberland Valley High School recently had the opportunity to hear history firsthand when award-winning author Nina Willner visited to share the remarkable story behind her book, The Boys in the Light. Through the intertwined journeys of her father, a Holocaust survivor, and the American soldiers who helped liberate him during World War II, Willner brought a deeply personal perspective to a pivotal moment in history.

Among those soldiers was Lt. Charles Myers, a tank platoon leader from York, Pennsylvania, who helped save Willner's father from almost certain death at the Buchenwald concentration camp. Adding another meaningful local connection, a member of Myers' family was in attendance for the presentation. Students gained a deeper understanding of courage, resilience, and the human spirit before concluding the visit with a special meet-and-greet and book signing.