COUNCIL GROVE, Kan. (WIBW) - Basketball games and other after-school activities with friends are part of the normal high school experience.

As she smiled broadly, blue and gold pom poms clutched in her hands, itis hard to believe this is an experience Council Grove High School freshman Kolbie Davis nearly didn't have.

Her mom, Jeannette, says she and her husband, Jamie, considered holding their 15-year-old daughter out of high school. Kolbie was born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a condition which cut off oxygen to her brain. It caused permanent damage and developmental delays. Jeannette feared Kolbie wouldn't be able to handle the high school environment.

"I was very concerned for her being in the hallway with a lot of kids and all the noise and the interaction between teenagers," Jeannette said.

While Jeannette, Jamie and Kolbie's eight-year-old brother Will knew how loving and positive Kolbie could be, they worried how she would do around other teenagers. Plus, Jeannette says, Kolbie would not speak very much and was often frightened or confused by loud noise or a lot of activity.

Still, they took a chance. One day, the school's cheerleading coach filled in as Kolbie's para and brought her to practice. Kolbie was immediately hooked, saying she loves everything about cheerleading.

The squad was hooked, too.

"She just makes us all smile," Junior co-captain Chelsea Watson said.

Co-captain Jordan Birzer, also a junior, agreed.

"She was such a high spirit," Jordan said. "She's one of the friendliest girls I've ever met."

As fall football tipped into basketball season, Kolbie continued hanging out at practice, helping with whatever they needed. The cheerleaders even invited her to ride on their homecoming float.

Jeannette noticed Kolbie coming out of her shell. She would come home talking about the girls and was excited to go to school. She became more outgoing and, suddenly, those loud noises and hectic situations didn't seem to bother her as much.

The squad also was teaching Kolbie some of their cheers. Tuesday night, they decided to give Kolbie a night to remember - making her an honorary cheerleader for the Braves' boys basketball game.

"I'm not nervous," Kolbie said minutes before she headed to the gym. "It's so exciting!"

For the entire first half, Kolbie stood among the group courtside, shaking the blue and gold pom poms, turning and chanting to fire up the crowd.

Her infectious spirit won over everyone. At one brief break, she even asked a referee how he was doing. He responded by telling her she was doing a good job and to keep it up.

But the biggest moment came at halftime. The cheerleaders brought Kolbie center court and surprised her with her own team jacket. They then started a cheer, gathering around Kolbie and lifting her atop their bended knees -- the place of honor atop their pyramid.

As the crowd rose to its feet, Kolbie's mother was reduced to tears. And Kolbie? Well, she was on top of the world!

"I don't think they realize the impact they've had on her and our family by including her," Jeannette said. "It gave her a place. For her to come in and have a place, to have girls, the cheerleaders, just love on her in this way and accept her and help her along - It just means a lot."

But as much as it's changed Kolbie, the girls say, it's changed them too.

"It's definitely a life-changing experience. Kolbie goes to show anyone can do anything they put their mind to," Jordan said.

Kolbie crowded the girls into a group hug when it was done, thanking them while proudly pointing to her name emblazoned on the jacket.

"They're the best friends in the whole world," Kolbie said. "I love them." WIBW-TV Story