FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE BLIND RESEDA HIGH GRAD'S NEXT GOAL IS COLLEGE.

Byline: ALEJANDRO GUZMAN Valley News Writer

Teenagers typically face tough challenges while in high school: drugs, sex, peer pressure and the stress of getting good grades.

Heather Bandy says none of these came close to distracting her from schoolwork.

Not even being blind could hold her back -- which she proved recently when she graduated from Reseda High School with a 3.79 grade- point average.

While some people might consider blindness a greater challenge than those faced by the average student, Bandy sees it differently.

``Being blind is not much of a challenge,'' Bandy said. ``I think I had less challenges.''

Bandy is preparing for her first semester of college at the University of California at Berkeley.

She says she is proud to have surmounted her first major hurdle, graduating from high school, and looks forward to her second, graduating from college.

She also says she did not have too many difficulties throughout her years in high school and identifies socializing as one of her ``few challenges.''

Bandy often found sanctuary with older people, whom she felt were more understanding of her situation.

``I was pretty nervous about initiating conversations,'' Bandy said. ``I had an easier time with adults, although some of my friends did understand.''

Despite being blind, Bandy participated in a number of activities where she made friends.

She was involved in Academic Decathlons, drama, speech, debate and sang in a choir she had joined outside school through the Braille Institute. She became a member when she was just 8 years old.

One of her most important activities was completing four years of seminary, where she was required to attend class early every weekday morning before regular school started.

This brought her closer to her faith and also gave her a chance to shine.

Joseph Zollinger, a teacher at the Reseda Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said Bandy was not only highly motivated, but would not be held back by her limitations.

``She always volunteered and was early to class,'' Zollinger said. ``I was impressed at how well she seems to function.''

While Bandy may have good reason to celebrate her successes, she must also prepare for the fall semester, which is just around the corner.

Her high school had made accommodations that were necessary for her instruction.

``Basically, a person taught me how to get around while a resource teacher helped me out with Braille and the class material,'' Bandy said.

But she recognizes many things will change, and may get a little more complicated at UC Berkeley.

``I'll be much more independent,'' Bandy said. ``I'm a little more worried about housekeeping stuff and getting around campus.''

She is also concerned that she will need to take an airplane every time she wants to come home.

But she is confident that things will work out because she has the full support of her loved ones.

``My family said I can do anything I set my mind to,'' Bandy said.

She had to make a tough choice between two universities. After one visit up north, though, she chose the bigger one, UC Berkeley, which also happens to be farther away than the other university she considered, Scripps College in Claremont.

``It's a lot bigger with more going on,'' Bandy said. ``It's more of a challenge.''

But it is not a problem for Bandy, who advises people with similar challenges not to settle for less because of a disability.

``I would say, `follow your dreams. Don't let someone tell you you can't do something because you are blind; just go for it.'''

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(1 -- 2 -- color) (Left) Heather Bandy, who is blind, will attend the University of California at Berekley in the fall. (Above) Mike and Amanda Bandy with their daughter, Heather, at her high school graduation.