Another student earning a 95 may have overcome personal challenges that are invisible to everyone reading the report.
Grades provide useful information about academic performance, but they do not tell the complete story of a young person's effort, circumstances, or potential.
This is one reason public recognition of improvement can be powerful.
A child who has struggled in school may begin to believe that success belongs to other people.
Repeated disappointment can weaken confidence, especially when academic difficulty becomes associated with embarrassment or criticism.
Encouragement can help challenge that perception.
When an adult notices improvement and responds positively, the student receives a different message.
Progress is possible.
Hard work matters.
One disappointing result does not have to define the future.
Alselwi's initiative places this kind of recognition in an unexpected setting: a deli.
He is not acting as a classroom teacher, school counselor, or educational psychologist.
He is a local businessman using the resources available to him to acknowledge students who are trying.
That distinction is part of the story's appeal.
Children need effective schools and supportive families, but they can also benefit from positive relationships throughout their communities.
A coach, librarian, neighbor, shopkeeper, or family friend can contribute to a child's sense of belonging.
Sometimes an encouraging interaction outside school can reinforce the work taking place inside the classroom.
Of course, praise and rewards cannot replace professional instruction, academic support, or adequate educational funding.
But they can become one additional source of encouragement.
And for some children, knowing that another adult is interested in their success may make achievement feel more meaningful.
A Neighborhood Store With a Different Kind of Purpose
Across New York City, neighborhood delis and bodegas have long served as familiar gathering places.
They are businesses, but they often function as informal community spaces as well.
Regular customers recognize employees. Neighbors exchange greetings. Children stop by after school.
These everyday interactions create opportunities for relationships that extend beyond buying and selling.
Alselwi has used that familiarity to establish a positive connection with young customers.
Instead of being only the person behind the counter, he has become someone students can approach with evidence of their accomplishments.
This changes the meaning of the store for participating families.
It is still a place to purchase groceries and snacks, but it is also a place where children can receive encouragement.
A family might visit after report cards are distributed. A student may return after improving a difficult subject. A young person who previously struggled could arrive hoping to show that things have changed.
Each interaction can reinforce the same idea: the community is paying attention to its children.
The success of the initiative also illustrates how small businesses can contribute to social well-being without becoming large charitable organizations.
Not every business can afford to distribute substantial cash prizes, and such an approach would not necessarily be practical everywhere.
But the broader principle is adaptable.
A business might sponsor school materials, recognize student volunteers, support a local library, provide modest educational prizes, or partner with schools to celebrate improvement.
The financial scale can vary considerably.
What matters is the decision to use a business's connection with its neighborhood for a constructive purpose.
The Responsibility That Comes With Growing Success
As Grades for Grabs attracts larger donations and greater public attention, maintaining the initiative will require more than enthusiasm.
A project that begins through one person's generosity can operate informally when only a few participants are involved.
But when thousands of donors contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars, expectations naturally grow.
Supporters may want to understand how donations are allocated, how students qualify for rewards, and how the program plans to remain sustainable.
Fairness also becomes increasingly important.
Children should understand that improvement is valued and that eligibility does not depend solely on receiving the highest grades.
Families need clear information about how the program operates.
Because social media is central to the initiative's popularity, protecting children's privacy and ensuring appropriate parental permission when sharing videos are also important considerations.
These are not criticisms of the project.
They are practical responsibilities that accompany its expansion.
Sustaining a charitable initiative requires careful organization, especially when demand grows beyond the original neighborhood.
There is also an opportunity to measure results more systematically.
For example, following participating students' progress over time—with appropriate consent and privacy protections—could help determine whether the rewards are associated with lasting improvements.
Such information could offer valuable guidance to other communities interested in similar programs.
The public donations show that many people believe in the mission.
Clear administration and thoughtful evaluation could help turn that support into lasting educational benefits.
What Thousands of Donations Reveal About Community Generosity
One of the most striking aspects of this story is the number of strangers willing to support a neighborhood initiative.
Many donors have probably never visited Zack's Finest Deli.
They may never meet Alselwi or the students receiving the rewards.
Yet they chose to contribute because the underlying idea resonated with them.
Education is widely recognized as an important foundation for future opportunities, but helping students can sometimes seem like a challenge that belongs exclusively to schools, governments, or large charities.
Grades for Grabs offers a more accessible example of involvement.