Boy Scout Seeks to Name Street After Teacher

In a room filled with civic-minded adults, nobody can cause more smiles to crack than a boy scout. Especially a boy scout looking for their help to do a good deed.

Boy Scout Thomas Fennell, who is in the 7th grade, presented members with his request to re-name 214th Place after his former science teacher.

Geraldine Cilmi, who taught at , succumbed to cancer in 2010.

"She was the greatest science teacher," Fennell told the Board, adding, "She always created stories to work with our experiments. She liked to talk to us and help us do our best."

The Board listened solemnly, but broke out into laughs when Fennell threw in, "She only gave us a little homework."

Fennel added that he loved going to her class, and sustains a memory of her, even now as he attends .

Situated between P.S. 41 and Crocheron Park, 214th Place has no residents, according Fennell's mom, Irene. "There will be no impact to anyone other than the friends and family of a teacher whose memory will stay with us forever," she said.

To read Thomas Fennell's statements from to the Board, see below:

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Hello members of the Community Board,

My name is Thomas Fennell. I am a First Class Boy Scout with Troop 49 of Bayside. I attend Sacred Heart School and I am in 7th grade. I attended PS 41 till 5th grade.

I am here to present a proposal to have a street named in honor of a teacher. Her name was Mrs. Cilmi. She was the greatest science teacher. She always created stories to work with our experiments. She liked to talk to us and help us do our best. She only gave us a little homework. I loved going to her class because I could be free. I always remember her. She loved all of us.

I remember she liked to pick on me, and my shirt “I didn’t do it” only in a good
way. She liked to listen to everything we thought and said, then she would try to
make it part of what she was teaching.

I especially liked the garden Mrs. Cilmi helped create. We would all go down by
class and plant little seedlings. By the time school was about to end the garden
would be growing. The next year when we came back the plants would be full
grown and so nice to look at. When we were in second grade we would take our
blankets and sit in the garden to read our books. I just loved being outside next to the garden.

It would be great to have the street next to the school named after Mrs. Cilmi. We will be planting a tree in the garden soon.

I brought some letters from my old Principal, some teachers, the PTA and my
Mom. I also have some signatures from parents.

Thank You for your time and consideration.

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