Pay it forward this holiday season with a gift that keeps on giving. Buy a gift certificate to DonorsChoose.org for a friend, who then gets to choose a gift for a Maryland public school (or actually in any area of the country). Baltimore schools are well represented in the list of schools applying for funding.

Here's how it works: Public school teachers write proposals for needed supplies or equipment. Those proposals are reviewed by potential donors who can choose which proposals they want to fund. Donors can sort projects by location, percentage of low-income students, subject or cost.

My husband received a gift certificate to DonorsChoose.org, and we have been sifting through the project ideas submitted by Baltimore teachers. So many of the potential projects seek to make learning more fun, either by requesting new books that spark children's imagination or manipulatives that keep kids engaged. It's tough to choose.

And one other thing to note as tax time rolls around, as the giver (and the actual donor to DonorChoose.org) you receive the tax deduction on your federal and Maryland tax return.