James Lumberg Inspires the Next Generation of Saints

James Lumberg in front of the plaque commemorating his great-great grandfather Harry Lumberg

Yesterday, students at Lumberg Elementary School and Jefferson Junior/Senior High School in Edgewater had the opportunity to hear from a former student who once sat in their seats and dreamed big dreams. Jefferson High School graduate (Class of 1983) James Lumberg spoke to students in Edgewater about realizing his big dream of summitting Mount Everest. Lumberg told 6th grade students about how he first was inspired to climb Mount Everest as a 6th grade student attending Outdoor Lab. James then spoke to junior high students at Jefferson about how he struggled as a student at Jefferson yet persevered, graduated as a Jefferson Saint and then went on to attend and graduate from Harvard.

It was last spring that James made the trek to Mount Everest and ultimately summitted the highest peak in the world. He had tried to summit in 2014 but was turned back because of the avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall. Lumberg has now reached the top of five of the Seven Summits.

James Lumberg is the great-great grandson of Harry Lumberg, who Lumberg Elementary School was named after. Harry Lumberg was an early resident of Edgewater and immigrant from Denmark. He was a gardener at Rose Acre Gardens  and owned a home at 2440 Lamar Street. He served for years on the R-21 School Board which included Edgewater.

Joel Newton

Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.