IMPACT Grant Candidate Spotlight

The School Counseling Department received a Mental Health Professional Services grant award in the amount of 4.8 million dollars in April 2023. This grant aims to train school counselors to work in Tennessee public schools.

Read about a new candidate for this grant each month. Discover what motivates them to enter this field and the passion they bring to become a licensed school counselor.

Cameron Canales works at Walter J. Baird Middle School and Castle Heights Elementary School as an English Secondary Language Teacher and a football coach at Walter J. Baird. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Middle Level Education with endorsements in English Language Arts and English Secondary Language from Illinois State University.

Cameron’s undergraduate educational experience led him to a career in Education. Those experiences were pivotal to him because it drove his passion for teaching to the next level. Driven by his relationships with his own professors, Cameron continues to bring that passionate drive to teach to his students. He emphasizes on creating positive relationships with students, building trust, and being honest.

Cameron chose the school counseling program because of his love of helping others. School counseling is something he has always felt passionate about and he enjoys supporting students and helping them grow into well-rounded individuals.He is honored to have the privilege of connecting with students and helping them navigate through a wide variety of experiences they may face.

In his free time, Cameron enjoys running, spending time outside, watching the Chicago Blackhawks, and listening to music.