By Taylor Ann Ono

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With a compassionate heart and an Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) Bowling title, Senior Erin Ohta has received Trojan of the Month (TOTM). On Oct. 20, she won the competition for girls individuals, with a total of 605 points.

“Her dedication inspires me. She puts in so much practice on her own. I’m sure she is extremely busy as the president of the Senior Class, so just her balancing her schedule and still excelling inspires me,” Bowling Coach Corey Zukeran said.   

With a number of achievements, Ohta also shows her leadership, serving as the senior class president and being a role model for her friends, family and teachers. “She’s an amazing person. She’s always so helpful to everyone and the school, especially with her being so involved in student council,” said Senior Tori Yamauchi. “She deserves so much for everything that she does.” Zukeran added, “I feel proud that she is getting recognition. She had to be one of our pillars this year, and she came through like the champion she is. She is a great kid.  She has great family support and has high character traits.  She is an extremely special young adult, but behind that is a fierce competitor.”

The passion and drive that Ohta includes in her life comes from her mother, who is one of her main sources of support.  “I want to say I do (everything) for my mom because I don’t want to disappoint her.  She gives me so many opportunities to do so many different things and I just want to make her proud,”  says Ohta. “I tell her to always do her best and treat others with respect,” said Alice Ohta, Erin Ohta’s mother. “I am very proud of her.”

While TOTM commonly focuses on athletes, the qualities that Erin Ohta embraces into her life overall gave her recognition. “I definitely look at both sides of the story and I try not to accuse anyone of anything.  I’m relatively pretty friendly, I try to find what (people are) interested in, I love to talk with people, meet new people,” explains Erin Ohta, “Just doing the small little things for them, going out of my way to do something for someone, I love doing those kinds of things.”

Erin Ohta spreads the motivations that comes from her mother, to her friends. “She’s so into her grades, she’s so into student council and helping everyone and getting out there. So I, personally, whenever I feel something is difficult for me I think about her sometimes.  I’m like ‘You know if Erin can do all kinds of stuff and she can still be such a kind, giving, wonderful person,’ then I’m like, ‘Well you know I can do it too,’” explained Yamauchi, “When I first met her, I knew she was a really nice person because she was always just really kind to me. She was always there to talk to me so I just knew that when I did meet her, I really liked her.”

The motivation even reaches out beyond her immediate friend group.  “You know how people say like whoever you hang around with influences you, so basically just her good intentions and her kindness will make me feel better, which then again I hopefully make another person feel better.  It’s like dominos, how her goodness will influence me and another person and so on,” said Yamauchi. “Her dedication inspires me. She puts in so much practice on her own. I’m sure she is extremely busy as the president of the senior class, so just her balancing her schedule and still excelling inspires me,” added Zukeran.

Looking past TOTM, Erin Ohta is a caring friend that can be relied on. “I can tell her anything. She doesn’t have any judgement at all.  She’s always there for me, I can tell her all my secrets and she’ll always be there to help me,” said Yamauchi, “Her friendship just means everything to me, she’s that one friend that I’ll always go to for everything.  I honestly don’t think I’d be the person I am today without her because she’s very motivating to help throughout everything.”

With the OIA Championship title, Erin Ohta has received new insight on herself. “It’s like a payoff of like all the things that I do in school. I definitely feel more comfortable I guess I don’t know how to say it.  I’m trying to stay organized and I feel so disorganized, I guess that it comes together and I’m able to pull off something,” stated Erin Ohta. “I’m really thankful and ( being TOTM) kind of added to like my week of like good events that are happening and it’s just a really good feeling and I’m excited that I’m representing this school well.”

Although this is Erin Ohta’s senior year, she’s ready to start a new journey, planning on continuing bowling after graduation.