Wisconsin Teacher Awarded Luxury Vacation By American Idol Gold Ticket Winner

Students who won the Franki Moscato Foundation teen suicide prevention film contest chose their teacher to receive the grand prize.

ASHWAUBENON, WI, UNITED STATES, April 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Nicky VanLaanen stands out from the crowd of Social Studies teachers. Over 28 years, she has inspired students and athletes alike, earning a dazzling array of honors, including multiple Green Bay Chamber Golden Apple Awards, recognition as a WBCA All-State Senior Head All-Star Coach, and, most recently, leading a team of Ashwaubenon High School Gender Studies students to First Place in the Franki Moscato Foundation BE KIND film contest.

The BE KIND contest shone a light on teen suicide awareness and prevention, something that is very near and dear to VanLaanen, as she has lost two friends to the disease. “I still feel guilt and regret for not seeing the signs and not asking them directly if they were planning on hurting themselves,” lamented VanLaanen.

For the culminating assignment in her Women’s and Gender Studies class, VanLaanen challenges students to transform what they’ve learned into a project that sparks real change in their school and community. Inspired by her suggestions, a small group decided to craft a powerful video on suicide prevention and mental health. Their journey demanded creativity in scriptwriting, heartfelt performances, and technical skill in audio and video production.

Once their video was finished, the team entered it into the Wisconsin BE KIND student video contest, hosted by the Franki Moscato Foundation. Out of twenty finalists, a panel of eleven judges selected their entry as the winner. As a result, VanLaanen and her students were featured in a professional Public Service Announcement produced by Wisconsin’s own Mirrorless Productions.

To VanLaanen’s surprise, her students decided she deserved the grand prize: an all-expenses-paid FunJet vacation for two to the Dominican Republic.

“The health and well-being of students is priority #1. I am so proud of them for becoming advocates for suicide prevention and awareness of teen mental health in Wisconsin,” enthused VanLannen.

Kathy Sakschek
Franki Moscato Foundation
+1 920-379-7487
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