If knowledge really is power, the electricity must be crackling at two O'ahu campuses these days.

Ninety-three American teachers are in Washington, D.C., this week to accept the 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching — and Hawai'i's Paul Burnett Jr. and Shari Kaneshiro are among them. Each received a $10,000 National Science Foundation prize and a week of professional development in the nation's capital.

Burnett teaches science at Waialua Elementary School; and at Hokulani Elementary School in Honolulu, Kaneshiro is training the next crop of mathematicians.

In her application, Kaneshiro describes her approach as making the learning environment open and inviting. "We all learn from each other... sharing is key," she wrote.

Burnett also urges his students to embrace the unknown: "Learning new things makes them stronger."

And their learning will make us all stronger. Considering the importance that this state wants to place on science, math and technology education, every year's award program will bring a new cause for celebration.

Now, two more enthusiastic educators will be held out as role models for the next generation entering these fields, so critical to our economic and social future.