Naperville students raise awareness of music therapy for children with autism

A group of Naperville Central High School students is using the universal language of music to make a positive impact on the community—one note at a time.

This year, Leo Zhang, Ethan Zhang, and Connor Yao founded the nonprofit MU5IC4GOOD , a group of 10 student musicians leading that initiative.

“Our purpose this year is to essentially raise awareness about the rising rates of autism, the impact it has on children and their families, and also how music therapy can be used to benefit those children with autism,” said Ethan Zhang.

Creating MU5IC4GOOD

Growing up, Leo and Ethan Zhang had a close friend with autism and witnessed the comfort the piano had on his life, helping him communicate and express himself. That friendship and a recent experience inspired the brothers to use music for