ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Aamir Scott of Sandside, St Mary, aspired to be a policeman or a judge some day.

Ten-year-old Stacey-Ann Clarke had similar big dreams. Like Aamir, she maintained an 'A' average throughout her short academic life.

Two bright, young children; two violent deaths.

Both would have been sitting the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) in two weeks, which would have placed them in a high school, had they been alive today.

On September 16, two days after being reported missing, Aamir's tiny body was discovered in bushes, dismembered and placed in a bag in what was probably the most mysterious and gruesome child murder of 2008.

Killed by stray bullet

Stacey-Ann was hit by a stray bullet near her home in Seaview Gardens, St Andrew, during a dispute.

Aamir's mother, 35-year-old Andrea Folks, reflects on her only child: "I was planning for his GSAT exams when this happened and he was looking forward to it as well."

He was not the brightest, but he was consistent and he worked hard, she recounts.

"He was weak in some areas, like mathematics, but he did well in social studies and science," she says.

Other relatives and neighbours believe Aamir would have made it to St Mary High School, the most prominent secondary school in the parish.

Eyes set on Campion

Stacey-Ann attended Seaview Gardens Primary in Kingston and her principal and teachers had high hopes that as one of their top-performing students, she would have made it to a prominent high school in the Corporate Area. In fact, she had her eyes set on Campion College.

"She worked so well. She was in all the little groups and she came ahead in all her classes. From grade one to five, she came top in the classes," principal Elaine Jones relates.

But Stacey-Ann was not just an academic, she was a leader and an athlete.

"From grade one you could see the leader in her. She was a class monitor," Jones recalls. "She got along with people, so all the teachers knew her and all the parents knew her because she just gravitates towards you," Jones continues.

Stacey-Ann excelled in rugby and she was also a budding sprinter and a good netballer, her teachers say. She was also involved with the 4H club at school, while outside of school, she did community service.

"When she was not in school, she went to different homes and talked to the elderly and sick people, telling them about the Bible," Jones discloses.

She was even in charge of a dance group, Jones says, showing the elderly a few of the latest twists and turns.

Her teachers are not sure what career path Stacey-Ann wanted to follow, but vice-principal Joy Allen says Stacey-Ann often spoke of being like Merlene Ottey or Veronica Campbell.

"In my mind, it is like she wanted to become someone outstanding in life," Allen says.

Aspired to become policeman

Aamir was not as outgoing as Stacey-Ann, but he, too, had aspirations.

"He always spoke of becoming a policeman, but I know he was afraid of them," Folks says with a little smile on her face as she fondly remembers one Christmas when Aamir thought he was about to be busted by the police.

"He had some clappers and he knew that it was illegal, and when the police stopped and he and his friend saw them, him first raise up him hand," she laughs. "When he came home, he said: 'Mummy, mi lucky you know because one hitch up in my pocket'!" she laughs again.

Five males were held for Aamir's murder; one, a 16-year-old, confessed to killing him as a result of a dispute.