This Staten Island retail store rewards kids for having good grades
Influencer giveaways on TikTok and gamified reality shows on YouTube are a dime in a dozen. But Island Ock, a retail store from Staten Island, shells out giveaways only to excellent and hardworking students.
Ran by Wail Alselwi, the store features children who bring report cards for him to review. The “Grades For Grabs” program rewards kids who score 98%. They get a free shirt, $100, and are allowed to grab whatever items they want at Island Ock with no limit.
In one clip, five students entered the shop. All of them scored above 90% on average. Because of this, Alselwi rewarded them all with $100 and allowed the kids to grab whatever they want in the store.
While most of the kids got food, others noticeably took other items like detergent and other household supplies. Alselwi’s charity goes a long way and may even be helping the families of these children with the grocery grab perk.
Regardless, letting the kids get snacks is motivational in itself. It would be difficult to continue studying with an empty stomach.
Island Ock rewards hard work on TikTok
But Alselwi isn’t looking at grades alone, as can be seen with him rewarding children who didn’t average 98%. Twins Zuhra and Hasan, who dropped by to show their report card to Alselwi.
Zuhra only got 96% on her report card, just two points short of Alselwi’s standard. She remarked, “I worked really hard.”
It shows, as Zuhra only had 90% during the first semester. Her average had a 6% increase in the second semester. At first, Alselwi told Zuhra to get whatever she wanted in the store. But then, he gave her $150 to reward the effort she put in for studying. Alselwi said he didn’t want to discourage Zuhra and hoped that the additional incentive would push her to reach the 98%.
Her twin, Hasan, who got 98%, also got $100 and the privilege to take what he wanted from the store.
Needless to say, Island Ock as a store is famous. Children from different states in the US have been traveling to Staten Island to get their grades reviewed by Alselwi. In a recent episode, Nyla came all the way from Milwaukee to Island Ock to have her report card reviewed. Although she came two points short of 98%, Alselwi offered her to either spin the wheel or get the items that she wanted.
Nyla chose to grab food items and went home with a bag full of snacks.
Is there a way to support Island Ock?
Social media has warmly received Alselwi’s act of charity to these children. The Island Ock TikTok account often has posts of admiration for the store and praise for the kids who are striving to aim higher.
One TikTok comment reads, “What millionaires SHOULD BE DOING.” Billionaires and above should also be doing this as well, but alas, they’re busy with their galas.
Another TikTok user said, “Your videos have me crying. I hope you have a life filled with joy and light.”
But another commenter asked what many TikTok followers of the shop have on their minds: is it possible to donate to the store? Island Ock has an official GoFundMe page, which will help fund the Grades For Grabs program Alselwi runs.
For those who’ve been doomscrolling on the internet, the Island Ock TikTok account is definitely one of a kind. Helping out has never been easier.
(featured image: Siegfried Poepperl)
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