Arlene Yates shows off a puppet of Haja, a character she created to teach students anti-
bullying messages. Valley News/Will Fritz photo
A Temecula resident is using her artistic and musical talents to educate children about diversity and acceptance. Arlene Yates, who lived in Fallbrook for close to 30 years, is a professional musician, songwriter and recording artist with more than four decades of performing experience.In recent years, she’s taken her skills and put them to use teaching children to be tolerant and kind and not to be bullies through her character Haja, a boy who is teased by his peers for his unusually long arms.After publishing books about Haja that are aimed at children who are just learning how to read, Yates got the attention of the Murrieta Valley Unified School District and performed for their elementary school students. Recently, she was hired as a teaching artist for the district.
