Teens' innovative prom outfits made entirely from duct tape earn them $15K in scholarships.

Two high school students won thousands of dollars by creating prom outfits using tape.

Monica Walsh and Isaac Cervantes were named the 2024 Duck Brand Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest winners after devoting numerous hours to constructing a tuxedo and dress from duct tape.

The individual from Dryden, Ontario, created a vibrant prom dress and was awarded the "Grand Prize Dress" title, while the person from Pilot Point, Texas, made a blue tux and received the "Grand Prize Tux" title.

Both 18-year-olds were awarded $15,000 in scholarship money for winning the top prize.

Duck Brand Tape was used by Walsh, a high school graduate, to create her prom dress, which took her 126 hours to make using 13 rolls of the material.

She revealed to Planet Chronicle Digital via email that she had never used Duck Tape to make a full outfit and it took more time than she anticipated due to the numerous small details in her dress.

The contest presented a new challenge for the scholarship recipient, who said she's a creative person and used to make her own Halloween costumes as a kid.

""Romero Britto's use of colors and fun patterns inspired me to add a lot of colors and patterns to my prom fashion, and I wanted to push those boundaries," she said."

Walsh exclaimed, "I was so thrilled to learn I won the contest! My jaw dropped the moment I found out."

Walsh plans to attend Lakehead University in Ontario to pursue a degree in education with the aim of becoming a chemistry teacher. She stated that she will utilize the scholarship funds to cover her college tuition expenses.

Cervantes admitted to Planet Chronicle Digital that he spent a considerable amount of time creating his prom tuxedo, although he is unsure of the exact number of hours it took.

He explained that it was difficult to determine how long it took us to complete it because most of our time was spread out. He also mentioned that he would work on his outfit every Sunday with his mom present.

"I am absolutely thankful to God, family and friends for this amazing opportunity."

""Before leaving for college, I wanted to do one last project with my mom, which was a challenge as we usually work on small arts and crafts," Cervantes stated."

Cervantes drew inspiration for his tuxedo from his family's Hispanic and Christian cultures.

"As a Mexican American, I wanted to incorporate my American culture," he stated.

He continued, "Our journey was like that of a monarch butterfly traveling between countries to start a family."

Cervantes expressed satisfaction with the final outcome, which required 16 rolls of Duck Tape to accomplish.

He expressed gratitude to all voters and the local newspaper for quickly spreading the word.

Cervantes intends to utilize the $15,000 scholarship grant to cover his tuition expenses at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, during the upcoming academic year.

He expressed his gratitude to God, family, and friends for the incredible opportunity.

Shurtape Technologies, LLC's director of product marketing, Kerry Haugh, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the 2021 competition had the largest prizes to date.

"We are providing larger cash scholarships and new categories to win in, ensuring that talented teens have even more opportunities to be recognized for their creativity, inspirational stories, and fashion-forward style," she stated.

The 24th annual Duck Brand Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest saw Walsh and Cervantes submit their designs before they were voted on by the public. The winners were then chosen based on the submissions with the most votes.

The runner-up outfits were awarded $1,000, and other category prizes were given to "Most Runway Worthy" and "Trust E's Choice."

Another prize category was "Most Inspiring," which Cervantes also won.