But too often, those efforts aim at the wrong group. Or perhaps they just don't go far enough toward embracing the group that, to my way of thinking, truly needs the helping hand.

Nearly every one of these programs seeks to attract and help the best and brightest of the younger generation-often, the very kids who are already interested in technology and don't really need that extra nudge. A contest or grant that steers such kids toward electronics may serve to pull them away from another science or technology discipline, such as chemistry or mechanical design. That's certainly a good thing from the electronics industry's perspective.

But what's missing from most projects and grants is something to attract the other kids-those that aren't necessarily the top scorers. The midlevel students who hold a B average, or even a C+, usually get overlooked. But if the burgeoning technology field does indeed need large numbers of skilled workers, then those are the people who should be courted.

There are only so many valedictorians and straight-A scholars out there. When push comes to shove, who knows whether those kids will really make the best engineers?

For every brilliant student who will become a stellar engineer, there are a solid number of average students who could potentially become very competent engineers in their own right. They're the kind who fill out a team and keep it moving forward. There are also late bloomers, the tech equivalents of Michael Jordan, who can't make the grade in high school but eventually blossom and occasionally make great contributions.

Just how to reach these "average" kids, whose B average puts them above average, is a difficult challenge. It's tough to set up a contest or grant that rewards the top students who deserve to win but at the same time provides enough incentive to attract the broad midsection and get them interested in electronics and programming.

One way might be to set up more categories, in effect thinning out the competition by creating a broader program. Another is to create scholarships designed for those with GPAs that aren't necessarily 3.5 or higher. If benefactors can create scholarships for those of a certain religion, race or gender, or for kids with a specific personal interest, they can also set up one with GPA limitations.

Any solution will call for more time from volunteers or more funding from companies. But if there is truly a need for programs that attract students into the field of electronics, there's definitely a need to pull in a group extending beyond the gifted few.