Free treats for great school grades

RUSSELL Vinson, 11, rushed to his local corner store after school. He went straight to the counter and handed his report card to the man behind it.

- SYDNEY PAGE

“Russell, again!” exclaimed Wail Alselwi, the manager of Zack’s Finest Deli & Grocery in Staten Island. “I see that stamp right there, man, honour roll!”

Alselwi - who goes by “Wally” — handed Russell a $100 (R1 860) bill, then told him to grab whatever he wanted from the store to celebrate his 92.67% average.

Russell took a carton of eggs for his mother, who is a baker, plus a bunch of snacks and sweets for himself.

“Let’s go, Russell! Keep it up,” Alselwi said.

Russell is one of dozens of the pupils who have come into the bodega (small corner store) to show their grades to Alselwi over the past two years. In exchange for good grades, Alselwi lets them take some goodies for free, and if they earn above a 90% average, they get $100 as well, plus a T-shirt.

“I push them to do better in school,” Alselwi said. “Believe me, it’s working.”

Russell lives across the street from the convenience store and has been bringing his report cards to Alselwi since the beginning of the school year.