TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — The typical uses of duct tape include packing boxes, patching holes, or general sealing. But one Utah teen, has taken this every day item to another level.
Ian Hernandez Rojas from Taylorsville, Utah is one of nearly 200 contestants across the nation and Canada that entered in to the 23rd annual Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest. The contest is put on by popular duct tape brand called Duck Brand. In this competition, students are challenged to create and wear their own prom outfits made entirely from ‘Duck Tape.’
Rojas is a top ten finalist competing for $10,000 of the total $20,000 in college scholarships. There will be one winner in the tux category and one winner in the dress category.
"I was thinking about just my future," Rojas said. "I was thinking about how I was going to pay for college and I found the scholarship…”
Rojas payed tribute to his Salvadoran roots with a Mayan inspired tux. The senior at Taylorsville High School says the process took over 60 hours of work and 15 rolls of ‘Duck Tape' and various materials, like old clothes, wire and cardboard.
While his creation was made solely for the competition, Rojas says the sewing process is a hobby he has enjoyed for the last two years and is even something he sees doing in the future.
“Over quarantine actually, I got really bored because I was in junior high at the time and there was not much to do, but we did have a sewing machine and I just started sewing old bed sheets, a little bit of fabric. I just started from there.
“I like sewing because it helps me relax and it lets me create something and I just like working and choosing what happens."
Rojas says he isn’t sure what he wants to study in college yet, but hopes designing and fashion is a possible career option.
“I know it's a really competitive field, but I'll definitely try my best to go as far as I can.”
Voting ends on July 12 and winners will be announced on July 19. Rojas’s mom Jessica says winning will be a reminder of his hard work and more.
“We will be definitely proud of him, Ian’s mom says when asked what it would mean to their family if he wins.
"It’s gonna be something that he's going to use for his post secondary education. So it will make his life a lot easier, especially because all the machines that he has, he has purchased himself...So I think that will mean bridge for him to get what he needs to accomplish his dreams.”
To vote for Rojas visit https://www.duckbrand.com/stuck-at-prom/vote. Each person can vote more than once after 24 hours.
