By JoAnn R. Walter —
Owego Free Academy Band Director, Lindsey Williams, has penned her first book entitled, “Where the Valley Widens.” The book describes the journey of a young music teacher who nurtures her students from elementary school to high school. The book speaks to both new and veteran teachers and is relevant for students and other readers as well.
Williams, a Southern Tier native, graduated from Johnson City High School. An award-winning band director at all levels in public schools, she has been teaching in the OA School District since 2007.
Williams graduated summa cum laude from the Boston Conservatory, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in flute performance and a Master of Music Education. In addition, she received the Conservatory’s Outstanding Music Educator Award. She has directed Binghamton University’s Wind Symphony and chaired numerous festivals and committees for the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA).
Pictured is the book, “Where the Valley Widens,” by Lindsey Williams, OFA Band Director and long-time educator. The book describes the journey of a young music teacher and speaks to both new and veteran teachers. The book is relevant for students and other readers as well. To learn more, visit http://www.lindseywilliamsmusic.com. Books can be purchased at Riverow Bookshop in Owego, Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other platforms. Photo provided.
If you have attended special events in Owego, such as the Strawberry Festival or Memorial Day parades, you may recognize Lindsey from those occasions, where she conducts and marches along with students. She has taken the stage with the OA Schools Making the Band and has also accompanied students playing at Owego holiday events downtown.
Within her book, Williams shines a light on well-known characteristics of the Owego community, the most notable being the title of the book: the Haudenosaunee word Ahwaga, meaning “where the valley widens.”
Williams describes herself as an avid reader and said that she has always wanted to write. She explained, “I started writing the book during COVID,” and shared that she, too, felt like many of us did, particularly the disappointment of missing out. For her, it was missing out on time with her students.
She continued, “After the flood of 2011, then the pandemic, and then [Dan] Fabricius passing away, I felt like I needed to write it all down.”
It’s her hope that the book helps teachers, or anyone who is struggling through something, find inspiration to keep going and discover what they are looking for in life.
Lindsey Williams, OFA Band Director, and now author, greets guests at an Aug. 1 book signing at Riverow Bookshop in Owego. She has penned her first book entitled, “Where the Valley Widens.” A second book signing is being held at the Vestal Barnes and Noble on Sept. 7 from noon to 3 p.m. Williams will be on hand to discuss the book, answer questions, and sign books. Photo provided.
Williams expressed that her students were a source of inspiration for her writing. The students she refers to had their very first day in Pre-K at Owego Elementary, on the same first day that Lindsey experienced as a new teacher.
Lindsey remarked, “We had the opportunity to move up together to the middle school, and then again to the high school,” adding, “I had a really special connection with those students, and I thought it was a special story to share.”
Another source of inspiration was a beloved mentor, Daniel Fabricius. Fabricius, a former director of bands at OFA and a 30-year educator in the district, passed away in 2022.
Lindsey reflected, “The things he taught me helped me as I grew in the teaching profession.”
In the first chapter of her book, Williams describes a meeting with an administrator who left a positive impact on her and on the day she signed her teacher contract.
The administrator told her, “You’re going to need a box, and inside that box, you should put letters from students and parents. Also, put everything else that is positive in the box, too.”
At first, Lindsey questioned quietly to herself, “A box?”
The administrator clarified, “On the days you don’t feel like being a teacher, open the box.”
Williams knows firsthand that the teaching profession is both rewarding and difficult at times, and the box story has been a valuable lesson to this day.
From the book’s description, the story reminds us of education’s power to connect and is perfect for book clubs, teacher preparation programs, and new teacher mentorship groups. “Where the Valley Widens” is also described as a must-read for every teacher entering the profession and for every person who has ever had a teacher who mattered to them.
Within the book are 40 chapters, and the description notes, “Discuss one of the forty chapters each week, and reach summer inspired instead of tired.”
Lindsey summarized, “School is a place where you become more than what you thought you were in the beginning,” adding, “We’re all learning and capable of more than we thought we were.”
Williams is thrilled with the interest in the book thus far and remarked, “It’s been a real joy. I’ve enjoyed the connection with community members and then the reconnection with past students about the book,” and is delighted that several students have read it, too.
A book signing event was held on Aug. 1 at Riverow Bookshop in Owego. If you missed it, a similar book signing event is being held at the Vestal Barnes and Noble on Sept. 7 from noon to 3 p.m. Williams will be on hand to discuss the book, answer questions, and sign books.
Visit www.lindseywilliamsmusic.com to learn more. “Where the Valley Widens” can be purchased at Riverow Bookshop in Owego, Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other platforms.
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