There seems to be constant teeth gnashing over the perception that all of Stark County’s brightest and most talented young professionals skip town.

They head to bigger, hipper communities to make their fame and fortune and leave Stark behind as part of the so-called brain drain.

At least that’s the accepted premise. But this is the time of the year when we get to poke holes in that theory.

For 17 years, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce’s ystark! organization and the Canton Repository have partnered to recognize young professionals through the Twenty under 40! program. Twenty under 40! is presented in conjunction with Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co. LPA and the Aultman Health Foundation.

Each year, 20 individuals who are under the age of 40 are honored for their business acumen, leadership, commitment to the community, volunteerism, and personal and professional achievements.

These are young business and civic leaders. They are among the brightest and most talented in the community. They have decided to call Stark County home. And, as much as it is a cliché to say it, they are the future.

The Canton Repository opted this year to recognize these individuals on the front page leading up to the awards celebration, which will be held June 25 at the Quarry Golf Club in Canton. (For more details or reservations, go to: www.ystark.org.)

We kicked off the individual profiles last week. We hope that you are inspired when reading them. We are.

Say hello to the drones

Speaking of the Canton chamber, hats off to the business organization for continuing to find new ways to entertain the community during the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week.

Last year, the chamber brought the popular Budweiser Clydesdales to Canton and partnered with the Wooster-based Certified Angus Beef to help cook up the meal for the Gold Jacket Dinner.

And now, we have a new event to look forward to. The Aultman Balloon Classic will feature a drone show provided by Skyworx.

Three hundred illuminated small drones will fly above the balloon field at the Kent State University at Stark campus and simultaneously arrange themselves into a variety of synchronized patterns — creating animated images in the sky.

We can’t wait.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Twenty under 40! leaders prove talent lies in Stark County