Expedition Hanesbrands Chooses Winston-Salem, NC

MONDAY, 19 APRIL 2010

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Hanesbrands Inc., which is leading Expedition Hanesbrands to climb Mount Everest this spring, announced today that it will take Winston-Salem, N.C., high school student LaQuishia Stone to visit the world's highest mountain to inspire other students to set ambitious goals in life.

The 17-year-old Carver High School junior and school guidance counselor Theresa Hamer were selected to represent the school community, affectionately known as Carver Nation, on the expedition after writing essays and conducting interviews with a selection committee. LaQuishia's mother, LaShonda Stone, will accompany her daughter.

The roundtrip cultural expedition that will travel through Himalayan Sherpa villages departs April 21 and will take three weeks. If the group makes it to Everest base camp at 17,700 feet, they will get a firsthand glimpse of the staging area for climbing the world's highest mountain whose summit is 29,035 feet.

LaQuishia and Hamer will communicate from the mountain via written, video, and audio postings on the official Expedition Web site – www.ClimbWithUs.com.

"I am so excited to go to Mount Everest," LaQuishia said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a foreign culture, and something I will remember forever. My friends and family did not believe me at first when I told them I was going to Mount Everest. Now that they know the trip is for real everyone has been sending well-wishes and letting me know they are proud of me for making this journey."

Hanesbrands and the leader of its expedition, international mountaineer Jamie Clarke, challenged Carver High students to join the expedition by writing essays describing their own "personal Everests." LaQuishia's essay described her dream of becoming a music producer and her goal of sharing lessons from her trip with her classmates for the betterment of Carver Nation.

The trek will be the teen’s first trip outside of the United States and a world away from her routine in Winston-Salem.

"Here in Winston-Salem, I spend a lot of time playing sports like football and basketball, hanging out with friends and listening to music," LaQuishia said. "I cannot imagine what it will be like to travel to Nepal, experience the sights and sounds of Katmandu and climb to base camp on Mount Everest. I have been researching the culture. It is going to be so different to see what life is like on the other side of the world, and I’m sure it will change the way I look at things back at home. This trip will be one of the most important experiences of my life."

Hamer noted that LaQuishia will be a great ambassador for the school. "The entire Carver family could not be more excited for LaQuishia," Hamer said. "She is a terrific person and the faculty and student body are very proud to have her represent us in an event of this magnitude. On a personal level, I am also excited to accompany LaQuishia to Mount Everest and extremely grateful to Hanesbrands for this opportunity."

LaQuishia was selected based on the strength of her essay and her in-person interview with the selection committee, as well as her academic performance, extracurricular activities and recommendations from faculty members.

"All of the candidates were very impressive," said Charlie Stack, Hanesbrands' program manager for Expedition Hanesbrands. "What struck us most about LaQuishia was the way she steps up and embraces a challenge. We felt she would perform well and be an outstanding ambassador for Carver. Her outgoing personality will allow her to share her experience with others so that her journey will not only touch the life of LaQuishia, but the entire Carver student body."

The Carver contingent will experience the nonclimbing aspects of a Mount Everest expedition and Himalayan life. The cultural immersion and learning opportunity, including visits to temples and shopping bazaars and stays in Sherpa lodges, will include several days in Katmandu, the capital of Nepal.

After a short flight from Katmandu to the village of Lukla at 9,250 feet elevation, the team will then undertake a 15-day roundtrip walking trek to Mount Everest base camp for a one-night visit with the climbing team at 17,700 feet – nearly three times higher than Mount Mitchell, the highest point in North Carolina.

The trek traverses the Khumbu Valley, where there are no mechanized vehicles. Commerce and everyday life depend on goods transported by humans and animals, including the ever-present yak. The trekkers will cross suspension bridges, hike along rivers, traverse valleys with vistas of towering Himalayan peaks and visit villages, shopping bazaars and lodges to experience Sherpa culture firsthand.

Hanesbrands and its employees have partnered with Carver High School in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools district for more than 20 years. The company has focused on supporting students' academic achievement and citizenship to improve attendance and graduation rates through project funding and employee volunteerism.

Source: www.businesswire.com