WOHS 2023 salutatorian receives OCSO scholarship

Emma Koehler was awarded one of 14 statewide STEM scholarships presented to children of sheriff’s office employees through the Florida Sheriffs Association.

“I am so grateful to have received this scholarship to help support my college experience,” Koehler said. “Engineering includes a lot of tough curriculum, so free time is limited. Having the FSA STEM scholarship to supplement the cost of attending university helps relieve a lot of stress from my parents and me.”

The Florida Sheriffs Association provides the $2,000 scholarships to students seeking degrees in the fields of science technology, engineering or math. The award stipulates the money must be used for tuition or to buy books.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina presented the scholarship.

Koehler is a sophomore at the University of Florida and is studying chemical engineering in the Honors Program. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a master’s degree before going to work in the industry.

“I am very interested in biomaterials, so I want to work as either a research and design engineer or a manufacturing and packaging engineer,” Koehler said.

She graduated from West Orange High School in May 2023 and was her class salutatorian.

Koehler is the daughter of Joe and Michelle Koehler. Her father has worked at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years. He spent 20 years on the OCSO squad and 10 years in narcotics, worked six or seven times in the Tactical Anti-Crime Unit, and this is his ninth year with the fugitive task force.

Sgt. Koehler said he’s proud of his daughter’s achievement.

“It’s awesome,” he said of his daughter receiving the scholarship. “She’s awesome. She’s applied herself for the last 15 to 16 years, and she’s led at everything academic.”