Meadowlands Executive Director Anita Johnston enjoys a quiet moment with several students. Photo by Joni Simon

Excitement is in the air these days at the pastoral confines of the Meadowlands in Boerne. A pristine community center and an innovative charter school are now within reach of the facility that has been a shelter for abused children for more than three decades.

“So much is going on, it’s amazing,” said Kathy Glascock, director of development for Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives, Inc. “It’s kind of like an explosion. All the hard work of the past 33 years is finally coming to fruition. We’ve worked for years and years and now everything is falling into place.”

RMYA, of which the Meadowlands is a part, won the 2008 Not for Profit Ethics Award. Now, they’re looking forward to starting a charter school in August. A community center on the campus follows next spring.

Leon Springs homebuilders Art and Pam Burdick say it all goes hand in hand.

Burdick, who is president of Burdick Custom Homes, says he contributes to the Art and Barbara Burdick Community Center project because of the reputation for integrity and honesty of RMYA. “One of the reasons we’re supporters of Youth Alternatives is not only because of the work that they do, but also because it’s a well-run organization,” he said. “Very little of the money that’s donated is utilized for fundraising or overhead purposes. It goes directly to the needs of the children. That goes back to part of the reason why they received that ethics award.”

The Burdicks, who are spearheading the fundraising campaign, have personally contributed $200,000 to the community center development. They and their family have donated a combined total of $300,000 of seed money to get the project under way, according to Glascock, who says additional funding may come from a $100,000 grant which is pending. The goal is to raise $900,000.

“When the plans are ready, we’ll break ground this summer and if need be, get a short term loan if we don’t have all the sums available by then and hopefully have it open by this time next year,” Burdick said of the project named in honor of his parents.

No stranger to the construction business, Burdick says he hopes to get discounts and donations in materials and labor.

“Everyone in Boerne can use the center. We really try to collaborate with other organizations in the community. It’s important for us and for our kids that the community knows who we are and what we do,” Glascock said. “It would give us a place to have an event, if we wanted. We don’t have a place right now that’s big enough to hold everybody.”

Glascock says the charter school, opening in August, will give not only Meadowlands children, but other children in the community, real advantages. For one, the classrooms will be much smaller, with an expected teacher-student ratio of one to 10. Although the school will conduct public enrollment, Glascock says the children will essentially receive a private education.

The majority of Meadowlands children will attend the charter school, but some will continue at schools in the community.

“Some of our children do very well on Boerne campuses. They’re on the student council at the schools they attend, as well as in other activities,” Glascock said. “This is for the student who will benefit from a smaller campus.”

Strong, therapeutic teachers will conduct the classes, tailored to students who could gain from such an environment.

“Our goal is to help them graduate,” she said. “Statistically, 58 percent of foster kids graduate from high school compared to around 84 percent of the general population.”

During April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month, RMYA directors say they’re emphasizing educating the public as to what constitutes abuse and the surprising places where abuse can be found.

“Child Abuse Prevention Month is very important because a lot of people have a perception that child abuse only happens in poor places. Child abuse happens everywhere,” Glascock said. “They’re just better at hiding it in wealthier neighborhoods.”

The directors say it’s important to break the cycle of abuse so that it doesn’t carry on to the next generation and an important part of that is early intervention.

“If we step in earlier, the prognosis for these kids is so much better,” said Bart Kelly, child placement director. “But it’s never too late. If you don’t try, there’s no way, but, if you give it a chance, good things can happen.”

Meadowlands doesn’t just take in helpless humans. Hapless felines wander the property freely and without fear. RMYA Executive Director Anita M. Johnston says she doesn’t have the heart to turn them away.

“We have rescued cats. Some of us bring our dogs to work,” she said. “Some of the kids see themselves in animals who have been abused. The animals give them unconditional love in return.”