Alumni Spotlight: Marna

Marna Klein

Our daughter, Marna, now 8 years old, is deaf, uses bilateral cochlear implants, and lives life at full volume! Marna is a passionate reader who is rarely seen without a book in her hands. She loves exploring the outdoors, hiking and camping with her family and scouting friends, cheering on the Mariners, and staying busy with lacrosse, softball, soccer, and swim team.

Marna’s Hearing Journey

Marna’s hearing journey began early; she received her first pair of hearing aids when she was just two months old, followed by a cochlear implant at twelve months old, and her second cochlear implant when she was two years old. From the very beginning, our family embraced Listening and Spoken Language (LSL), starting our journey with Listen and Talk in the Birth-to-3 Program. Through invaluable home visits, we learned the exact strategies needed to support Marna in her LSL journey.

Blended Classroom and Beyond

Marna then transitioned into the Listen and Talk Blended Classroom preschool program, attending from age 3 to 5. It was incredibly beneficial for Marna to be in a preschool environment with specially-trained teachers and to develop close friendships with peers who also have hearing loss. Equally, it was deeply meaningful for us as parents to witness and share in that supportive community. Listen and Talk did so much more than just help Marna develop her listening and speaking skills; it set her up for lifelong success inside and outside the classroom. Through their programs, Marna built a strong foundation of confidence and self-esteem. She learned how to confidently advocate for herself, grew proud of who she is as a cochlear implant user, and became part of a large, wonderful community of families.

Thriving and Growing

Today, Marna is truly thriving inside and outside the classroom thanks to that early foundation. We invite you to support the Alumni Family Giving Campaign so that Listen and Talk can continue providing these life-changing services, empowering more children to find their voices, build high self-esteem, and achieve bright futures.

Donate Now to Our Alumni Family Campaign

Give back to Listen and Talk by participating in our Alumni Family Giving Campaign. Your support can help us continue to provide life-changing services and support to these children and their families. Thank you for contributing to the lives of deaf and hard of hearing children and their families to reach our vision that “no child is limited by hearing loss.”