Jeff Johnson is dedicated to expanding Napa County’s population of eagles.

Johnson, 60, has been active with Boy Scouts for nearly two decades, and has been instrumental in helping Napa County youths achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

2007 was a banner year, as the Yountville resident helped give wings to 45 new Eagle Scouts. “Never in the history of Napa County has there been as many Eagle Scouts in one year,” said Johnson.

“It’s very rewarding to see these young men make a difference in their community,” said Johnson, the assistant district commissioner for Eagle Advancement in the Mount Diablo Silverado Council of the Boy Scouts.

Last year saw only nine new Eagle Scouts, and the previous record was 30 or so, Johnson said. One factor that helped this year’s numbers is that several Scouts started projects in 2006, but didn’t wrap things up until this year.

Eagle Scout projects Johnson has overseen include making trays to fasten to wheelchairs for veterans with disabilities, collecting used books and distributing them to those who cannot afford to buy books, collecting and repairing discarded toys for children with disabilities, organizing a bicycle safety campaign, building at tot lot and putting Scouts to work supervising a study center for youngsters.

The school-related efforts strike a chord with Johnson, a retired teacher who worked at Donaldson Way Elementary School in American Canyon, Westwood (now Napa Valley Language Academy) and El Centro in Napa, as well as schools in Sacramento and Davis. His wife, Teri Johnson, taught in local middle schools and high schools for many years, and his father Kenneth Johnson was the first principal at Ridgeview Middle School, now the site of Harvest Middle School and River School.

Some projects just require elbow grease and determination, Johnson said.

Geoffrey Lyle rebuilt the baseball mounds at Kennedy Park, including cutting lawns, dragging the fields to smooth the dirt and repairing backstops.

Chris Lyon designed and built five redwood picnic benches for Skyline Wilderness Park.

“And the list goes on and on,” said Johnson.

There are 12 steps to reach the goal of Eagle Scout. Using the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, boys must select a service project and have it approved by their scout unit leader and the benefactor of the project. The project must be completed by the candidate’s 18th birthday.

“It’s a long process, but once it’s achieved, the Scouts find it very rewarding,” Johnson said. “It’s just not completing a project. It’s about leadership.”