In the time not spent teaching biology and grading papers at Foothill, Ryan Duston lives an incredibly involved life. His main priority is the community around him and devoting his time and energy to others.
A typical weekday in Duston’s life might look simple: “dropping my kids off at school, working, probably a meeting right after school, picking my kids up, going home, doing homework with them and maybe getting out for a run if I’m lucky.”
If Duston isn’t able to go for a run, it is usually because he is at a meeting with one of the many community service organizations he belongs to. “Volunteering has been a passion of mine,” he said, “I volunteer a ton in a variety of different ways.”
He volunteers his time and raises money for larger organizations such as Casa Pacifica, National Charity League and the Ventura Tigres, in addition to helping smaller organizations in need of support.
Duston’s love of both running and community service have been present since he was young. As a student at St. Bonaventure High School, Duston completed over 2,000 hours of community service, allowing him the opportunity to run with the Olympic torch.
The closest community to Duston is his family. The Duston family’s motto is “our door is always open to our friends.” His family hosts dinners, special events and often makes his guest bedroom available for anyone who needs it. Whether it is “to visit, have dinner with us, or need help,” Duston keeps his home open to his loved ones.
In the past, Duston has even hosted Foothill alumni who have been on the streets. That guest room “is often occupied” with people who need to get the ground back under their feet
In addition to inviting others into his home, he loves to travel with family, whether that means to “find a new location we haven’t been to and go,” or to spend time in Yosemite with his parents. The Duston family is always on the go.
It isn’t often you will find Duston simply “relaxing.” His time is often spent running, hanging out with friends and family, and giving back to the community.
Duston’s contributions to the Foothill and Ventura community go beyond teaching high school students biology. As for his love of running, he runs whenever he can find the time, yet is sure to spend time with friends and family first.
