Featured Student of the Week: Mandy Heaton
By Christina Cappy | 2-minute read
This week, I had the pleasure of meeting Mandy, one of our American Sign Language students who recently completed ASL I and II and is continuing her language-learning journey.
Mandy began learning ASL in 2021 after she lost the majority of her hearing due to a disease called Ménière’s. Although Mandy received a cochlear implant, she knew she did not want to rely solely on technology to connect with others. Losing her hearing sparked her curiosity about ASL and the Deaf community. “It has really opened my eyes to an incredible culture that is inspiring and interesting. This has motivated me,” she explained.
Mandy began learning through an online program while living in Portland. She said this was a great start, but ASL is such a visual language that she really wanted in-person classes. She moved to Bend full-time in 2023 and found Bend Language Institute.
She talked about how much she loves Bend and how it has helped her feel connected to people in the community. “I’ve mostly lived in larger cities,” Mandy shared, “but being part of a smaller community feels meaningful. In Bend, the community connection really shows up in places like taking an ASL class. People are kind, accessible, and genuinely welcoming.”
Mandy talked about her strong desire to connect with the Deaf community and how this has motivated her language learning. After completing ASL I and II, she continues to meet with other ASL learners and members of the Deaf community to practice and continue learning.
“I think it’s incredibly important as we age to keep challenging our brains,” Mandy said. “I am 56, and ASL stretches me in a completely new way. I’m using cognitive and hand muscles I’ve never used before.”
She continued, “There are so many benefits to learning a language that is useful in daily settings. When I take off my implant, I’m largely deaf, so I can sign to my husband to make coffee from across the kitchen.” Mandy signed the word for coffee as she spoke to me. She further explained how ASL is useful in public places. “You can be across the room at an event and still communicate, and that is cool! And there is a culture that is really rich.”
Just recently, Mandy went cross-country skiing with a member of the Deaf community and said she is happy to begin feeling comfortable communicating in that kind of environment. We talked about how important it is to learn a language both inside and outside the classroom, and she shared that she feels thankful that the Deaf community in Central Oregon, as well as the students and instructors at Bend Language Institute, are so inclusive and welcoming. She enjoys conversing with friends and colleagues at Oregon Adaptive Sports, where she volunteers, as well as participating in community events like screenings of Deaf films at Central Oregon Community College.
When we discussed challenges in learning a new language and ways to overcome them, she explained that in the past, it was difficult for her to hear words when learning French and Spanish, perhaps due to hearing loss. With ASL, she does not have this challenge. However, “I definitely feel self-conscious about making mistakes.” She also noted that, like learning any language, “it can be tiring to stretch your mind that much.”
“For me, I remind myself to have patience and practice. I’ve found that the community here — from both Monica (ASL teacher at BLI) and the other students — is patient and inclusive, and that has helped me build confidence. As with anything new, I try to remind myself to start where I am and do what I can.” She continued to talk about how much she enjoys learning with others, because it helps build confidence when you are learning alongside someone else.
At the end of our time, I asked Mandy what one piece of advice she would give to anyone seeking to learn a new language. “My advice is to embrace the culture in addition to the language. It makes the experience more meaningful and more fun. And that would apply to any language.” Mandy’s language-learning journey began out of necessity and has grown into a powerful story of community and connection.
First photo: At Oregon Adaptive Sports’ 2025 Ski For All fundraiser on Mt. Bachelor with members of the “Moving Hands” team—a group of Deaf participants and allies supporting the OAS mission. Mandy Heaton, far left.
Second photo: Mandy Heaton, on the left, skiing with Monica Burdsall.
