Songwriter performs for children with autism Releases CD with songs designed to help with social interaction BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer PHOTOS BY KATHY CHANG Cathy Bollinger, with guitar, and her business partner, Elly Tucker [l], sing to the kids of the PACE [Program Enrichment for Children's Education] on Aug. 3. Bollinger and Tucker traveled to Woodbridge from Charlottesville, Va., to perform three concerts at the Matthew Jago School No. 28 in Sewaren. WOODBRIDGE - Saying "hi" or making eye contact may be one of the struggles a child with autism may go through. Cathy Bollinger, a singer, songwriter and music therapist, has made a CD, "My Turn Your Turn," for autistic children, to help them with different social interactions and learn how to engage with others. Four years ago, Bollinger said a speech therapist came to her and asked if she could make a CD to help autism kids with their social skills. Bollinger asked the son of her business partner Elly Tucker, Josh, who has autism, for help. "Cathy asked my son about a song called "Look Into Their Eyes," and my son said he could never look into anyone's eyes, so the song's name was changed to "Look Towards Their Eyes," said Tucker. The children of the PACE program shake maracas and wear masks at the concert with Cathy Bollinger and Elly Tucker at the Matthew Jago School. Bollinger made a CD for autistic children to help them learn how to engage with others. The songs on the CD help make lessons fun to learn, and help children navigate the tricky territory of engaging with others, by using descriptive, social story-like phrases to talk about concrete situations. Bollinger breaks down common, everyday interactions into simpler and more understandable activities. Songs touch on empathy, saying "hi," asking for help, handling anger, and other daily social skills. Bollinger and Tucker traveled from Charlottesville, Va., to Woodbridge on Aug. 3 to perform three concerts for the children in the PACE (Program Enrichment for Children's Education) program at the Matthew Jago School No. 28 in Sewaren. "This is our first time in Woodbridge," said Bollinger. "We're having so much fun, and the kids are incredible." The concerts ranged from 35 to 45 minutes and involved parent-children interaction. Mayor John E. McCormac even joined in on the fun, shaking maracas for one of the songs. "Our main thing is to get the children involved," said Bollinger, who plays the guitar and sings. "Elly sings and gets the children involved with the various hand movements." Even some fathers got involved, including Tom Bialkowski, whose children Melody, 10, and Stephen, 8, are in the PACE program, as he sang a solo of "Itsy Bitsy Spider." "These concerts are great for the kids," he said. Evelyn Delgado said she heard about Bollinger's work four years ago and bought the CDs for her three children, Ryan, 10, Eryn, 9, and Rey, 8. Ryan and Eryn have autism. "Eryn learned all the words to the song 'Everyone Has Strengths to Be Proud Of' and sings it in the car," said Delgado. Victoria Romanienko, whose son Preston, 7, has autism, said Delgado gave her the CDs two years ago. "When I first listened to the CDs, I was impressed," she said. "The songs are easy to catch on to. It was easy for Preston to learn, and he liked singing along." Romanienko said she thought that other children could learn from the CDs as well. "The music is good to develop social skills, not just for children with special needs but for anyone," she said. "I began an e-mail correspondence with Cathy, and we planned a date for her to come perform for the kids." Bollinger said she started writing songs 19 years ago, when her first son was born. "I decided not to go back to work," she said. "I made a children's lullaby song, and at the time it was a good idea because there wasn't quite a lot of children's music out there." Now, Bollinger has made it her career to write music to teach children the alphabet or help them with different social interactions and to learn how to engage with others. She has released nine educational CDs and does performances and provides workshops for teachers and parents throughout the year. "It's important to make a core knowledge foundation," she said. Bollinger said that after coming out with four CDs in the past four years, she is not sure what will be next. "I'm itching to make a new CD because that is my favorite part," said Bollinger, who said she does research with parents and teachers. A group of children sing the songs with Bollinger on her CDs. "These children are a random group of kids that we have met along the way," she said. "The children include my children and Elly's son Josh and also other children from schools we have visited. I try to do different sounds of reggae, bluegrass, rock and jazz. This is good for the children to hear different voices." Matthew Jago School Principal Robert Patten enjoyed Bollinger's performance so much that he has asked her to come back next year to perform for the children, Romanienko said. For more information about Bollinger's CDs, visit www.rivannamusic.com.