Wail Alselwi, a Yemeni immigrant and manager of Zack’s Finest Deli & Grocery on Staten Island, is drawing national attention for encouraging students to improve their grades by rewarding them with cash, snacks and other items from his store.
Alselwi, known online as “Island Ock,” began his “Grades for Grabs” initiative in 2023 after making a deal with a local student. The program has since grown into a community effort, with thousands of students showing up with report cards and videos of the interactions gaining millions of views on social media.
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