Teen wins scholarship with Duck tape prom dress honoring her Texan, Mexican roots

Larissa Leon of Sunnyside, Washington, takes the prize for Best Dress | Credit: Duck Brand

After tallying votes, Duck brand announced a Texas-born teen took home the grand prize $10,000 cash college scholarship after winning Best Dress in the 21st Annual Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest.

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17-year-old Houston native Larissa Leon, who currently resides in Sunnyside, Washington, created a dress inspired by her Texan and Mexican heritage.

Leon spent 163 hours designing her dress with 47 rolls of Duck brand duct tape. Honoring her heritage and the traditional Spanish dances that emphasize local folk culture, her Folklorico gown is accessorized with flowers, Duck Tape lace, ribbon, and a full flowy skirt. Leon’s passion for design blossomed when she began using Duck Tapeat an early age to make toys, clothing, hair accessories, and even her school backpack. The Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest was her opportunity to showcase her talent to win big scholarship money.

“When I heard Duck Tape had a scholarship, I knew I had to make a special creation. The gown was designed to honor my culture, helping me pay homage to my roots, along with making a beautiful dress for prom that’s made out of Duck Tape, something that many of my friends and family thought to be impossible,” Leon says of her design.

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“Each of our participants pushed the boundaries with their designs to enter this year’s contest and we’re beyond impressed by their determination and skill to make never-before-seen looks out of Duck Tape,” said Ashley Luke, Senior Product Manager and Global Brand Manager at Duck Brand’s parent company, Shurtape Technologies, LLC. “We applaud Larissa and all of our finalists for using their creativity, culture, and interests to design extraordinary pieces, winning over their communities and the public in the process.”

The contest has happened annually since 2012, and this year $10,000 was awarded to one grand prize winner in the Dress Category, and one grand prize winner in the Tux Category. Eight runner-ups were awarded a $500 Cash Scholarship and Duck Brand Prize Packs.

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