West High junior Kayla Richardson, who is blind, gets ready to lead the West High JROTC color guard before a basketball game Jan. 30 against Southeast High School in Wichita. At left is is her best friend, junior Brittany Buress. At right is Lt. Col. Ciara Travis, a junior, and on the far right is JROTC senior instructor Ltc. Larry Sadd.

Wichita ? Kayla Richardson practiced for three weeks for the night’s big moment. As an honorary cadet for the evening, the 16-year-old West High School junior shouldered the task of the leading the school varsity color guard at the boys basketball game against Southeast.

Kayla and the color guard worked on the routine every day before school.

Seven steps forward. Pivot and turn left. Form a column, with her best friend, Brittany Burress, on Kayla’s right and freshman Jonathan Downs on her left. Fourteen steps forward, then march in place. Stop. Present colors. Fourteen steps forward. Pivot right, then march out of the gym.

It wasn’t a complicated routine, but it was challenging for Kayla because her bright blue eyes can’t see. She lost her sight at age 3 to a tumor that was pressing on her optic nerve.

“I knew I could do it,” she said after practice Tuesday morning. “If I had enough practice, I could get it done.”

She won the honor after applying to be a member of the National Honor Society.

In her application, Lt. Col. Larry Sadd, the school’s Junior ROTC teacher, noticed something missing.

“When I read all 15 applications, everyone had a leadership entry,” he said. “Kayla had nothing. I said ‘Kayla, in order to be competitive, you have to have it.'”

Sadd had gotten to know Kayla during the school year. She would sit in the gym and read a book while her friend Brittany and the rest of the color guard practiced.

When Brittany posted the colors at football games, Kayla would listen to the crowd. Sadd spent time at the game explaining to her what was going on the field.

“Helping her made me work on my communication skills,” he said.

So Sadd gave her an opportunity, making her an honorary cadet and telling her she had to lead the color guard, calling out commands as the unit moved across the gym floor.

Sadd made sure she was prepared. Because the crowded gym will be louder than she’s accustomed to in practice, Kayla had to make her commands louder.

“I gave her no mercy in her command voice,” he said. “I’ve treated her like every other kid.”

The only glitch on that recent Tuesday night came after the colors were posted and the Kansas flag brushed her face, but she kept her composure.

The experience has been so positive that it has Kayla thinking about joining the JROTC program.

“Depending on my schedule, I’d think I’d like to do this,” she said. “It’s fun. I like it.”