AVON, Ohio (July 11, 2006) -- When the creative flair of a young artist is combined with the adhesion of dad's favorite fix-all, you sometimes end up with a sticky -- yet lucrative -- situation. For Connecticut high school students, Holly Nelson and Bing Xu, it meant a $6,000 scholarship won by creating and wearing duct tape duds to their high school prom.

Holly Nelson, 17, of Willington, Conn., and Bing Xu, 18, of Ashford, Conn., were named winners of the 2006 Duck® brand duct tape Stuck at Prom® Scholarship Contest, and each was awarded a $3,000 college scholarship. Nelson and Xu designed, created and wore their artistic duct tape attire to the Edwin O. Smith High School prom this spring, and entered the sixth annual Duck® brand duct tape Stuck at Prom® Scholarship Contest.

Nelson and Xu, dressed from head to toe in duct tape, outdid 232 couples from 48 states and three Canadian provinces. For five years, Nelson has followed the contest, collecting ideas and dreaming of her senior prom. As a senior, Nelson convinced her independent study teacher on the idea of devoting her final semester to designing her duct tape prom outfit and entering the contest. With a little coaxing, Xu was on board.

The duo's original and artistic creation was the result of five months of hard work, including more than 230 individual designs, countless hours after school and more than 25 rolls of Duck® brand duct tape, ranging in color from black and red to purple and fluorescent green. Inspired by a fascination with traditional Cambodian court dance attire, Nelson's dress combined color, texture and design with her creative imagination. The ensemble was highlighted by a unique embroidery pattern at the base of the bodice, which was created from a colorful combination of rolled "threads" of duct tape.

Nelson knew her outfit would not be complete without accessorizes. Hers included a stylish yellow headdress, a choker necklace and purse. Not to be out-done, Xu matched his date's creativity with a sleek black suit that included a textured cross-over jacket with a broad shoulder design and traditional black pants - both decorated with a unique embroidery pattern complementing his date's.

After all their hard work and determination, the couple was relieved when the night was over. They said the outfits were extremely hot and heavy, and given time to reflect, they would have added ventilation holes to Xu's suit. But, the attention they received at the dance and the time they spent together made it all worthwhile. "We had a blast at prom, and the feeling afterwards was exhilarating," said Xu.

Beyond being a focal point at prom, Nelson was also crowned prom queen. This is the first Stuck at Prom Winner to also capture this title at prom.

"I couldn't believe the attention we got, and I was so excited when they called my name for prom queen," exclaimed Nelson. "Without the encouragement of our art teacher, Anne Lorche, this would never have been possible," she continued, reflecting upon her experience.

In addition to Nelson's and Xu's scholarships, Henkel Consumer Adhesives, Inc., marketer of Duck® brand duct tape, awarded $3,000 to Edwin O. Smith High School for hosting the prom. Second place winners, Nellie Lutz and Nicholas Venteicher, of Columbia Falls High School, Columbia Falls, Mont., received $2,000 scholarships and $2,000 for their school; and third place winners, Laura Turley and Matt Ellis of Cortez High School, Phoenix, Ariz., won $1,000 scholarships and $1,000 for their school.

Henkel Consumer Adhesives also awarded 10 "Best in Class" Awards to the couples earning the most votes during a one-week period of online-voting: Claire Luikart and Travis Braud, Baton Rouge, La., for Most Likely to be a History Major; Karli Johnson and Erik Fincher, Sherrard, Ill., for Most Likely to be a Rock Star; Elyse Dinnocenzo and Craig Noort, Lansing, Ill., for Most Likely to be Class Clown; Felicia Bode and Jessica VanNostran, North Royalton, Ohio, for Most Likely to be Seen from Space; Samantha Sletten and Troy Gion, Hebron, N.D., for Most Likely to Bring Back the 80s; Daniel Leake and Chelsi Farney, Sterling, Kan., for Most Likely to Have had Help from Mom; Steven Vattolo and Farren Crisafulli, Richmond Hill, Ontario, for Most Likely to Have Made their Outfits the Night Before Prom; Brent Schinkel and Michelle Schinkel, London, Ontario, for Most Likely to Have NOT Heard of Colored Duct Tape; Quenton Jones and Lindsey Slater, Plain City, Utah, for Most Likely to Recycle their Prom Outfit for Halloween; and Steven Lancaster and Jennifer Leal, San Antonio, Texas, for Most Likely to Stop Traffic. Each member of the winning couples received a $200 prize.

"Even after six years, the imagination and originality students use in constructing their prom outfits continues to amaze me," said Michelle Heffner, digital communications manager for Henkel Consumer Adhesives. "We've even started to notice several couples participating from the same high school. It's encouraging to see faculty and high schools supporting these students' creativity."

To view all of the entries in the 2006 Duck® brand duct tape Stuck at Prom® Scholarship Contest, as well as for rules and other information, visit www.stuckatprom.com.

The Duck® brand offers an array of tapes, packaging supplies and home products that provide simple, imaginative and helpful solutions for a variety of tasks around the home, school and office. Visit www.duckproducts.com for additional product information.

Duck brand products are developed and marketed by Henkel Consumer Adhesives, Inc., a part of Henkel, a worldwide leader in adhesives and a European leader in laundry/home care and personal care products. Henkel's North American consumer adhesive brands include Duck®, Loctite®, LePage® (for Canada only), PL®, Pro-Series®, Polyseamseal®, Pritt® and Painter's Mate Green® brands. With more than 50,000 employees worldwide, Henkel generated combined sales of 11.974 billion euros in 2005. For additional information, please visit www.henkel.us.