VALLEY SUN ALL-STAR Johnny Blood:

When he grows up, 12-year-old Johnny Blood wants to work for the CIA or the FBI because, he said, “I love this country.”

The Rosemont Middle School seventh grader also loves his community, as evidenced by the many projects he has participated in and is currently organizing to motivate other youths and help beautify the Crescenta Valley.

Blood — a soon-to-be Eagle Scout — is this week’s CV Sun All-Star.

“I’m very impressed with Johnny; he’s such a neat kid,” said Crescenta Valley Town Council President Steve Pierce.

Pierce has gotten to know Blood in the past several weeks as the youth began work on his Eagle Scout project, to clean up and beautify an about 120-foot-long strip of land above the middle school, on Rosemont Avenue and Los Amigos Lane in La Crescenta.

The property is owned by the Crescenta Valley Water District, and has been “just a dry patch of hard ground” for all of the 41 years that Pierce has lived nearby, Pierce said.

Through Blood’s organizational skills of procuring donations and workers to help with the project, the site will soon be enhanced with drought-resistant California native plants.

“Johnny’s project will not only beautify the area but it will promote water conservation and the use of native plants,” Pierce said, adding that he appreciates Blood’s enthusiasm and respect for the importance of the project.

Blood said he plans to install sign legends to identify plants and educate visitors to the site.

Blood recently received the last of many approvals — from the Boy Scout organization and Water District — to begin work on his project. He also has begun securing donations from the various community entities involved in the project. He plans to begin work this summer, he said, adding, “It takes a lot of planning to get this far.”

Blood is no stranger to utilizing his organizational skills. The youth, who has already earned 22 merit badges, serves as den chief for Boy Scout Troop No. 390 and every week he coordinates and supervises a scout meeting with about 10 younger youths. Although adults initially plan each meeting, Blood demonstrates a great deal of dedication and other leadership qualities in being able to run the meetings, said Bent Hansen, scoutmaster of Troop No. 390.

“Johnny is a fabulous Scout. He lives the Scout motto and oath in every way,” Hansen said.

Hansen has known Blood for about eight years and been his Scoutmaster for the past year. During that time, he has gotten to know him at meetings, as well as on Scout trips, including a “50-miler,” Hansen said.

“Johnny is always cheerful and helpful, he’s an amazing Scout,” Hansen added.

Blood was born at Glendale Adventist Hospital and has lived most of his life in La Crescenta, although he lived in Utah and San Diego for a few years prior to starting kindergarten at Monte Vista Elementary School.

He is the son of David and Dena Blood. He has four younger siblings, the three oldest are Monte Vista students: Annie, 10, a fourth grader; Katie, 8, a second grader; Kimberly, 6, a kindergarten student; and brother Matthew is 19 months old.

He’s also a fifth-generation La Crescenta resident and the oldest of 20 grandchildren of Calvin and Marilyn Bayles of La Crescenta.

Johnny Blood also excels in his schoolwork. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is the seventh-grade class president at Rosemont Middle School.

He has a passion for music and has played the drums for the past three years. He is currently a drummer with the school’s jazz band and plays various percussion instruments in the drum line and concert band.

He also has played piano for the past eight years.

Blood is involved in several sports activities and enjoys soccer, basketball, baseball, running and track, and swimming.

His other hobbies include skateboarding, ocean kayaking and snorkeling.

In the past few years, he also has performed major and small roles in several local musical productions including The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Oklahoma, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Blood credits his dad, who serves as assistant Scoutmaster, and Hansen for motivating him in Boy Scouts. “Scouting is always fun with my Scoutmaster, and my dad really gets me going,” Blood said.

After he graduates from high school, Blood plans to attend Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He then plans to become a CIA or FBI agent.

Hansen isn’t surprised by his young Scout’s ambition. “I’ll bet he does it all,” he said, adding, “Johnny’s a dedicated student and he’s hardworking and ambitious. I’m sure he will go far.”