Social media is going crazy about a Staten Island bodega manager who rewards high grades with money for local children to spend at his deli.
The manager of Zack’s Finest Deli & Grocery, Wail Alselwi, has gained a large TikTok following and become a neighborhood hero. Some of her videos have received millions of views.
A fourth-grader named Maleek enters the bodega in a May 4 TikTok, claiming that he and his family traveled from Pennsylvania solely to display his report card.
Alselwi gets the young child excited and adds, “Let’s check his report card.”
Regarding the high grades, he asks, “Am I seeing this Maleek?”
“Yeah!” the pleased child answers.
“96, 100, 100, 100, 97, 93, 99!” exclaims Alselwi. He is assured by the child that he receives good grades “all year.”
The store manager tells Maleek, “You smart, man.”
Alselwi gives the pupil a $100 note and tells him to “grab whatever you want,” and the student smiles.
Maleek comes back carrying what looks to be a bag of rice, a loaf of bread, and a carton of eggs. He is instructed by Alselwi to “keep grabbing” and select further objects.
You deserve this, so pay attention. He tells the child, “You did well in school,” and he adds a few snacks to his total buy. He also serves a cheese, egg, and sausage sandwich to the fourth grader.
Alselwi pushed the young child by reminding him of his excellent grade point average while he was packing up his things and wondering if he would receive a “100” next.
Maleek claimed to be “working” toward that objective.
“That’s my son! It’s not about the snack for me it’s about making sure he knows someone out here is proud of him. #SingleMomRaisingEducatedBoys,” according to a commenter.
Alselwi uses a GoFundMe page to collect funds for his “Grades for Grabs” incentive scheme.
“Education is the foundation of a brighter future, and every child deserves the motivation to strive for success. That’s why I’m launching Grades for Grabs—a movement dedicated to rewarding students for their hard work with snacks and cash prizes for good grades!” according to the description.
To help spread the word, youngsters receive an Islandock T-shirt in addition to financial awards.
In July 2024, Vito Fossella, the president of Staten Island Borough, presented awards to Alselwi and one of his student clients.
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“We all want our children to do well in school,” Fossella told.
“We all want them to do well in life. Sometimes kids, like everybody, are encouraged and do things because of different incentives. The point is that people just came together and you’ve touched this young man’s life and his family.”
