I'm a computer science undergrad. I've been working doing what I guess you would call "desktop support" and learning it all myself or through my uncle for about fifteen years.
What my high school lacked was any sort of class or program that trained students or opened doors to programming and the fundamentals of computer science or even basic programming I learned things on my own. Things like algorithms and typical CS and computational problems.
Even in community college the working environment was Windows. I was fortunate enough, however, to be graced with a wonderful professor and she being department head mandated that we learn C++, which was an excellent choice.
The problem lies within that most of the population is that of consumers and not producers.
The big Core 2 Duo desktops and Windows operating system adds a layer of unfriendliness to the entire process of trying to learn the interworkings of what it is that you're doing.
Linux has a steep learning curve but that's why LUGs exist. I think in a class room environment young adults who are serious and passionate about computing (if they want to become IT, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, whatever) it would be the same situation with a LUG -- you learn from the experience.
I really think this project is a great thing and maybe after I get my undergrad I can take some time off and teach as a volunteer at local high schools or have a weekend program for students who are interested.