Kids will want to keep learning science when they see how fun it is.The economy is in the tank and so the cuts at schools begin. And of course one of the first things on the chopping block is anything that can keep kids interested in science.
These programs tend to be more expensive than other programs and so are natural targets for the axe. For example, at my kids' school, they are cutting 5th grade science camp.
Kids go off for a 5 day trip to a place out in the woods to study nature. The kids have a blast and can see that science is more than memorizing phyla or sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. Instead they get to explore nature and use books to figure out what they're seeing.
And if history is any guide, there will be a big fall off in field trips to zoos and museums too. These are more places where kids can see that science is actually a lot of fun.
Some might argue that if money is limited these programs should be cut. This is true only if we want a workforce that can't do the jobs that are becoming available in our information based economy.