This 15-Year-Old Found a Free City Secret—and Alexandria Neighbors Can’t Get Enough!

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — When the City of Alexandria offered a program to plant shade trees in front of residential homes free of charge, it sounded like a win-win for neighborhood beautification and the city’s growing tree canopy efforts. The only problem? Almost no one knew about it.

Enter RJ Hohman.

The 15-year-old rising sophomore at Gonzaga College High School and Del Ray resident discovered the city’s free tree-planting program through his mother. Curious, he began asking neighbors if they had heard about the opportunity.

The answer was almost always the same.

“No one had any clue about it,” Hohman said. “No one knew about it. No one had been told about it. I kind of thought to myself, this is such a great thing that the City of Alexandria is doing. I feel like I have to advertise it and get the word out.”

So he did.

With a homemade flyer, outreach through the Del Ray neighborhood listserv, and conversations with residents, RJ began spreading the word about the program. Within weeks, neighbors started contacting him with interest in having trees planted in front of their homes.

“I started taking their information, putting it into the city system, and helping get the process started,” he explained.

So far, his efforts have helped connect approximately 15 Del Ray residents with the city’s tree-planting program — a remarkable accomplishment for a teenager who simply saw an opportunity to help his community.

The City of Alexandria’s tree-planting program works with city arborists who evaluate each property, determine the best location and appropriate tree variety, and schedule planting during the city’s planting season, which generally runs from October through May.

“The city arborists come out to the spot, survey it, assess it, and figure out what tree is best for that location,” Hohman said.

While RJ’s efforts have started in Del Ray, he hopes to expand his outreach throughout Alexandria. He has already distributed about 100 flyers and is considering additional ways to reach residents, including setting up an informational table at the Del Ray Farmers’ Market.

RJ’s interest in trees and the environment began at an early age through his love of the outdoors.

“Since I was a young kid, I’ve always had a love for the outdoors — from going fishing and hunting with my dad and grandpa,” he said. “These days, everyone is talking about the climate crisis, and I thought I could do something about it and help.”

For RJ, trees represent much more than neighborhood landscaping. They are an important part of the larger environmental system.

“Trees aren’t just about air,” he said. “They connect to all parts of the environment — the water, the soil, everything. They really help combat climate change.” 

The project is not for school credit, nor is it part of a formal assignment. RJ is doing it because he believes small actions can create lasting change.

“The most rewarding part is knowing that all these trees being planted are really making a difference and doing something better for the world,” he said.

His initiative reflects the service-oriented values encouraged at Gonzaga College High School, a Jesuit institution that emphasizes community involvement.

“They really encourage students to go out and do something,” RJ said. “It’s a very service-heavy school.”

Although his family enjoys gardening and grows vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers, RJ’s tree project is something he has developed independently — driven by curiosity, determination, and a desire to make a difference.

He hopes other young people will realize they do not have to wait until they are older to make an impact.

“A lot of these issues may not impact them now, but they could impact their kids, their grandkids, or future generations,” RJ said. “I think it’s important to really pay attention to these issues now.”

At an age when many teenagers are focused on the next assignment or weekend plans, RJ Hohman is looking ahead — planting the roots of a greener Alexandria one tree at a time.