A teenager nervously clutching their report card approaches the counter at Zack’s Finest Deli & Grocery. What happens next isn’t your typical corner store transaction—it’s a celebration that could net them $100 cash and local celebrity status.
Since 2023, Wail “Wally” Alselwi has transformed his Staten Island bodega through his “Grades For Grabs” initiative. Known online as “Island Ock“, Alselwi doesn’t just stock shelves with chips and sodas—he stocks hope for neighborhood students who bring their stellar report cards through his doors.
The reward system operates with clear, graduated incentives:
- 90% or higher average: $100 cash, exclusive “Island Ock” T-shirt, plus the golden ticket—take anything you want from the store
- Strong academic performance: Graduated rewards based on grades and improvement
- Community recognition: Social media shoutouts that have gone viral across NYC’s food scene
Beyond the Bodega Counter
How a traditional deli became Staten Island’s unofficial academic hall of fame.
This represents community investment with measurable returns. Students who once grabbed snacks and left now linger to discuss their academic goals with Alselwi, who immigrated to New York with his own dreams of success. The deli’s walls now showcase student achievements alongside the usual beer advertisements and lottery ticket displays.
GoFundMe campaigns sustain the program when funding runs tight. The initiative has attracted attention from parents across Staten Island’s diverse neighborhoods, transforming routine grocery runs into moments of academic encouragement.
What started as one man’s way to give back has evolved into a template for how food businesses can anchor educational progress. While you’ll find similar energy at community-focused establishments throughout NYC, few match Alselwi’s systematic approach to rewarding student success.
Alselwi has created a space where academic achievement gets the same recognition typically reserved for sports victories or social media fame. In a borough often overlooked by Manhattan’s spotlight, one bodega owner decided that straight-A students deserve their moment to shine, complete with cold hard cash and community celebration.
