Dancing for Gold® 2025

Hello, my name is Renee’ McDermott. I am honored to be a part of Dancing for Gold® this year. I am blessed with an amazing husband, Shawn, and one beautiful daughter, Kaylee, who is eleven years old. Paducah is my hometown, and I am a graduate of Lone Oak High School. I attended Western Kentucky University where I obtained my bachelor’s degree in business education and continued my education at Murray State University where I earned my Rank I in school counseling. I have been in education for 23 years and am currently the school counselor at Paducah Middle, but you may recognize me from Paducah Tilghman or Ballard Memorial.

For fun, I love going on adventures with my family and friends. You will find me at the beach or at my favorite outlet mall. I am a bit of a foodie and enjoy trying new cuisines as long as it does not include onions. Fortunately, I have Shawn as my personal chef. Recently, my love for dancing has been rekindled and I have found a community in La Femme Skittales.

This past year I have experienced firsthand how cancer can devastate a family. In February of 2024, I lost my father to esophageal cancer. The pain of watching my hero fight and losing his battle reinforced my belief that we must do all we can to help the courageous children and families who are affected by childhood cancer. While I have attended Dancing for Gold® for years, I knew I could do more to help alleviate the financial burden for the families who must travel for treatment. So, the night of the event, on my father’s birthday, and in honor of Gavin Schooley and Alexa Viet, I am going to dance!