New School Confronts Dual Tragedy
By Joel Schectman | January 12th, 2009 | 
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- Published in: New York Daily News
Joel Schectman
FALLEN FRIENDS: Students and staff at Validus Preparatory Academy are mourning Martin Jackson and Nadairee Walters. Guidance counselor Andrea Hines (pictured above with students) fondly recalled the slain teens, both of whom were members of the new school's pioneering first class.
Bronx -
The school stands out as a bright symbol of hope in a struggling Bronx neighborhood.
But that hope, as the brand-new Validus Preparatory Academy in Bathgate prepares for its first graduation, has been badly wounded by the murders of two of its students by stray gunfire in just half a year.
Martin Jackson, 18, was killed by stray gunfire in May in Crotona Park. Then on Nov. 15, Nadairee Walters, 17, of the same class, was shot outside a party after another teen opened fire.
Ironically, students and faculty said the two victims were very close friends.
“It goes beyond the loss of a student,” said Principal Brady Smith. “The two were members of the founding class and there was really a sense of family here. They were our pioneers.”
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i miss my lil sister i wish ppl would wake up and put the guns down all were doing is killing each other and hurting the ones that love. my family fight hard every day to keep going after loseing my lil sister. the pain my family feels right now i wouldent want no other family to feel we love u nadi aways and 4 ever. Ur brother steff
I was a freshment at Validus when Nadairee and Martin passed away. I am currently a senior at Validus now and I am taking a further step on making a short movie based on Martin and Nadairee. My dedication on making this movie will speak volumes towards gun violence. Making a movie for Martin and Nadairee is something I wish to do before I graduate from Validus. Hopefully, this is played for the underclassmens each year remembering Martin and Nadiairee. Love, Deyla.