Stephen Murphy

• Position: DC U.S history and D.C government teacher
• Degrees & Alma Mater: bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies, master’s degree in theology, master’s degree in history, master’s degree in archival studies 
• Years at Caney Creek: 6
• Years Teaching: 11

How would other people describe your high-school self?

Kind, maybe a little cocky, and a good example. I was pretty well liked in high school and I knew it, but I always tried to be nice to people. I had a good reputation with my peers for being fairly smart and I knew people’s parents liked me and thought I was a good influence on their kids, so I could get away with a little more. 

Was there a career you wanted to pursue OR pursued before teaching?

I joined the Army before I got hurt and had to leave. I was looking for a way to get back in and I wanted to go back in as a chaplain, but you had to have a theology master’s degree. I was really close to becoming a chaplain. Whenever I started dating my now wife, and she didn’t want me in the military. I would’ve 100% gone through with it if she didn’t ask me not to.

Tell us about how you got into teaching.

When I worked at General Electric I thought I worked myself up there, but that didn’t last very long. I knew in college that I wanted to teach, so I went to college in Louisiana but the campus flooded, so I came back to Lone Star. Then I went to Sam Houston started to work on a degree in political science but I still wanted to teach. So, I went to the counselors and asked them about how to change degrees and they wanted me to take all these extra classes, but I didn’t want to do that. I ended up not doing that. Then I tried getting into the corporate world and that’s when I was like “I really want to teach,” so I started the alternative teaching certification. That’s what opened the door to teach at an elementary school and then here.

What do you do outside of school for fun? Why?

I like woodworking, I like it because you get to see the progress really quickly, whether you’re sanding or staining something. You’re seeing it happen immediately and at the end you have this really cool finished product that you just made. 

When people get to know you, what are they most surprised to learn about you? 

Probably that I traded into stocks is what surprises people the most. I got into it by reading an article on Yahoo that said to invest into a company. I took out a loan from my bank, and, in the first week, made it back, sold the stock and then bought another one. I thought it was pretty cool. I kept doing that ’til I made a lot of money and then wound up losing a ton of it. I would do it again or keep doing it, just from the standpoint that it’s a lot of fun. Anything can happen, you can’t make money unless you try.

Tell us the story about what you are most proud of yourself for.

I’m most proud of the times when I make the right choices and when I made the right choice not to follow people. Whether it’s friends or people that would make a bad or questionable choice or become unpopular to be the person or voice that says “hey that’s not right so I’m not going to do this.” Those are the moments I feel most proud of myself for.

Who is someone you are thankful for and why?

I would say my dad for being that good example and for being patient. 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

General advice: I would say enjoy being young a little more; I always wanted to grow up. I wanted to be viewed as a grown-up. I should have enjoyed being young. Specific advice (to my younger self): I’d say don’t date that girl.

What do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope to be remembered for taking the time to care about people and making a difference in lives, which goes back to why I like being here. 

What’s on your bucket list? What aspirations do you have for the future?

There isn’t necessarily anything on my bucket list, just trying to make sure my children think back on growing up as being fun and enjoying that. I’m terrified of not achieving that. An aspiration in life is being able to work without having to work. Basically, coming to work each day not because I have to pay bills but because I want to be here, so I’m moving in the right direction.

Favorites

Food: Crawfish etouffee, Louisiana dish

Restaurant: McDonald’s

Music: Folk, I used to be into country, but the music has changed

TV Show: “King of the Hill”

Movie: “Braveheart” (1995)

Book: “The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud” by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

Teacher: Kindergarten teacher Miss Whidener, because she used to take me to McDonald’s when my dad had to work as the principal at the school. My 8-12 grade teacher Miss Stone, because she genuinely cared about people.