Long Beach Poly and Millikan’s school communities are both mourning the unexpected passing of longtime high school counselor Ryan Temple, who passed in November at the age of 46.
An LBUSD counselor for more than 20 years, Temple was known as a bright presence at both schools–after a long stint at Poly, he had recently transferred to Millikan. In addition to a public family service at Parkcrest Christian Church in December, he was also remembered with a well-attended service in the Osman Auditorium at Poly. The school is also planning a memorial bench for Temple.
A Long Beach native, Temple was a longtime volunteer youth soccer coach and referee in addition to his work as a high school counselor, and was a passionate outdoorsman, spending much of his free time traveling or exploring with his wife, Kendra, and their children Austin (12) and Addy (11).
Temple was a well-loved counselor at both Poly and Millikan, and leaves a long legacy of not just helping students, but also inspiring some of them to follow in his footsteps.
Daniel Khim was a Poly student who had Temple for a counselor, who has himself now been an LBUSD counselor in the district’s Family Resource Center, first at Lakewood and now back at Poly.
“Ryan Temple was my counselor 19 years ago and is the reason why I am a counselor today,” wrote Khim in tribute. “The impact he made in my life inspired me into wanting to do the same work for generations to come. I didn’t have much emotional support growing up as a first generation Cambodian-American, but his guidance and counseling taught me how to be resilient. His support helped shape the person I am today.”
Khim said he knew that there were many others in the district who’d been moved to follow Temple’s path of helping the next generation.
“We lost a good one,” he said. “It’s been devastating to our community. He was caring, direct, and funny. He was the kind of counselor that was not afraid to speak up because he genuinely cared about our students. He helped students see their true potential despite the hardships they were facing.”
Temple’s passing came at a time when LBUSD high school counselors are fighting for more resources and staffing, which they say will help them do more and better work with LBUSD students.
“I am hoping that counselors are made more available to counsel our students in support of their social, emotional, academic, and career needs,” said Khim. “I’m not sharing this in trying to inspire students to become counselors, but to show that one counselor can impact a kid from Long Beach in having a career that he is proud of.”
Temple is survived by his wife, Kenda, and children Austin and Addy. A GoFundMe page for the family to help support the Temple children has raised more than $35,000 from 280 donors.
