A community organization can provide tutoring.
None of these actions alone can transform an education system.
But together, they can create an environment in which children feel that their progress matters.
That is arguably the most transferable idea behind Grades for Grabs.
The program does not have to be copied exactly.
A community elsewhere could choose books instead of cash.
Another could offer school supplies.
Another might provide scholarships, mentorship or free tutoring.
The underlying principle is simpler:
Notice children when they are trying.
A Small Promise Became Something Much Bigger
When Wail Alselwi made his original promise to one student, there was no indication that it would eventually become a six-figure community fundraising campaign.
There was no national media attention.
There was no large online audience.
There was simply a deli owner, a student and a deal.
But the student came back.
He improved his grades.
Alselwi kept his word.
Then other children started showing up.
The rewards multiplied.
The videos spread.
Parents became involved.
Supporters began donating.
And eventually, hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised to keep the idea going.
As of October 2026, the GoFundMe campaign reports more than $608,000 raised, putting the initiative within reach of its $650,000 fundraising goal.
The amount is remarkable, but perhaps the most meaningful part of the story is what the money represents.
Thousands of people decided that encouraging children was worth contributing to.
More Than a Prize
Grades for Grabs is not evidence that cash alone can transform education.
Research suggests that financial incentives can have different effects depending on how they are structured and what behaviors they target. Some studies find positive effects, while others find little or no impact on academic outcomes.
But the Staten Island story was never simply about economics.
At its heart, it is about attention.
A student brings a report card.
Someone looks at it.
Someone notices the improvement.
Someone celebrates.
And for a child, that can turn an ordinary piece of paper into evidence that hard work has been seen.
The snacks may disappear.
The cash may eventually be spent.
The school supplies will eventually run out.
But the memory of an adult taking their achievement seriously can last much longer.
That may be why a small promise at a neighborhood deli grew into something far bigger than its creator originally imagined.
It began with one child.
Then came another.
Then another.
And eventually, an entire community decided to join in.
Good grades.
Improvement.
Free snacks.
Cash rewards.
School supplies.
And more than $600,000 raised by people who simply wanted to help children believe that their effort was worth something.
Sometimes, a movement does not begin in a classroom, a government building or a large organization.
Sometimes, it begins behind the counter of a neighborhood deli—with one person keeping a promise to a child.