THUNDER BAY — Monica Walsh, an 18-year-old from Dryden, Ontario, has achieved international recognition by winning the Duck Tape Stuck at Prom competition. Walsh’s creative and labor-intensive graduation dress, constructed entirely from duct tape, earned her first place and a $15,000 (U.S.) scholarship.
The Winning Creation
Walsh, who is currently spending her summer in the Thunder Bay area, received the news of her victory via a phone call from the Duck brand of tape, but was required to keep the announcement confidential until the official results were published online on Wednesday morning.
In her reaction, Walsh described the moment as overwhelming. “It was crazy. My mouth dropped immediately, and I covered it because I was so excited,” she said. “I’m an optimist, so I thought I had a pretty good chance of winning.”
Design and Dedication
Constructing the dress took an impressive 126 hours and utilized 13 rolls of duct tape. Despite the intense effort, Walsh remained positive about her project regardless of the outcome. “It was all worth it,” she reflected. “Even if I hadn’t won, it would still have been worth it. I remember thinking that even if I wasn’t a finalist, the dress turned out really well, and it’s something I feel proud of.”
Community Support
Walsh expressed her gratitude towards the people who supported her throughout the competition. “I’d love to say thank you to everyone who voted for me and shared it because that helped a lot,” she said. “This means a lot to me. It shows you can really do anything if you put your mind to it.”
Future Plans
As part of her prize, Walsh’s colorful duct tape dress will be shipped to the U.S., where it will be displayed in a gallery alongside creations from previous contest winners.
Walsh recently graduated from Dryden High School and will begin her post-secondary studies at Lakehead University this fall, marking the next chapter in her academic and creative journey.
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