Participant Profile:
Ife East and Margot Banks
Among Road Scholar participants you'll find many educators. It's no surprise — who understands the importance of lifelong
learning better than a teacher? Ife East and Margot Banks, both of New Jersey, are members of this large subgroup of
Road Scholar explorers. Ife, an art teacher, and Margot, a recently retired professor of English, experienced the
cultural and artistic heritage of the City of Lights on The Many Faces of Paris. They were kind enough to tell us a
little more about their Road Scholar experiences.
Q: What was the most interesting thing you learned on The Many Faces of Paris?
Margot: I learned a great deal, but what stands out is probably our field trip to the Louvre. Rather than the typical, general tour, an art historian led us through the museum with a focus on black images in European art.
Ife: It was wonderful to discover some new artists who I wasn't familiar with, for example the modernist painter Beauford Delaney. As an art teacher, I've been able to bring that knowledge back and share it with my students.
Q: Describe your favorite memory from the program.
Margot: The food and the ambiance of the restaurants, which were very well chosen.
Ife: Making new friends that have become long-term friends.
Q: We offer 6,500 learning adventures in all 50 states and 150 countries around the world. If you could pick just one of those programs, what would it be?
Margot: I would definitely travel with Road Scholar again but I haven't decided where I want to go next yet. Probably somewhere else in Europe, or maybe West Africa.
Ife: I'd love to go on an African safari program.
Q: Outside of Road Scholar programs, how do you like to challenge your mind?
Margot: I just finished writing my new book! It's called Religious Allusion in the Poetry of
Gwendolyn Brooks and it will be out this fall. I also participate in Bible study.
Ife: I'm an artist myself in addition to being an art teacher and lecturing on African art for educational institutions, so I like to work on my watercolor paintings.