When Whitesboro High School senior Jacob Scott thinks about the future, he sees himself at the top of the Utica State Office Building, overseeing economic development for the area.

“I’ve always liked where I live,” said 18-year-old Scott, who was recently named one of the Observer-Dispatch’s 25 Teen All-Stars. “I have family here. I grew up here. When I come back from college, I want to see growth. I want to do economic development. What better place to see that occur than the place you grew up?”

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This year’s speaker, Utica Common Council President Michael Galime, shared his story with the young winners and encouraged them to remain connected to their home.

“As your friends, families and support groups send you into your next chapter, think of all the things, all the accomplishments, the success you’ve been able to achieve in the Mohawk Valley,” Galime, 36, said. “You’re welcome to stay, just as I have, and make this place a proud place to live and call home.”

It was common to hear the outstanding high school students would be attending local institutions such as Colgate University — like Scott — Utica College or SUNY Polytechnic Institute.

“I chose to stay as close to the area as I could,” said Viktoria Koscinski, 18, and a senior at Thomas R. Proctor High School. She’ll be studying computer science at SUNY Poly next year.

“This area has been so supportive of me,” she said. “I think I’ve found a lot of good people here and a lot of opportunity.”