Wilson is former first lady of California and currently chairs the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS; www.ucop.edu/ cosmos).

Last month, I volunteered at the California State Science Fair, where nearly 1,000 of California's top middle and high school students gathered to compete in fields ranging from aerodynamics to zoology. These talented youngsters, filled with the wonder of discovery, give me great hope for the future.

Their experiences in pursuing their science projects tell us where we should be looking for insights into investing in the state's K-12 educational system and our flagging economy. But sadly, as talented as these young scientists are, their accomplishments go largely unheralded.

In its latest report, "Learning for the Future: Changing the Culture of Math and Science Education to Ensure a Competitive Workforce," the national Committee for Economic Development notes that student interest in math and science topics has declined and that challenging courses are not readily available for many students. At the same time, the report found that the U.S. economy faces significant labor shortages if the pipeline for scientists and engineers is not widened.

Scientific innovation and a skilled work force are crucial to growing our economy and maintaining our competitive edge in the global marketplace. But California is no longer producing enough science and math graduates to meet its own high-tech work force needs, which must be addressed by both public and private sectors. As such, greater emphasis must be placed on the importance of math and science in grades K-12, such as happened after the launch of Sputnik in the 1950s, so that many more of our students might pursue science and engineering careers.

The annual State Science Fair, hosted by the California Science Center (www.casciencectr. org), is truly a community effort – students, parents and teachers, scientists and engineers from private industry and higher education, community leaders and volunteers. This collaborative spirit, underscored by the "Learning for the Future" report, is just what is needed to support and motivate bright young people to stay engaged with the critical disciplines of math and science.

I am further involved in another such collaboration – COSMOS, a month-long summer program run at the University of California for 450 high-school students gifted in math and science.

We often read that California ranks near the bottom in math and science achievement nationally. That's why it's especially important to recognize and encourage California students like those at the State Science Fair.

If California is to maintain its position as a national and worldwide science and technology powerhouse, we need more emphasis on science and technology, not less. And by publicly recognizing the achievements of young people who excel in math and science, we not only encourage those students, but we also inspire many others.