Newark high school student signs with Stanford University to play Division I football

For college football fans across the country, Wednesday marks a special occasion known as Early Signing Day.

Early Signing Day celebrates future student athletes of tomorrow as they sign their national letters of intent at the university where they want to further their education.

In Newark, New Jersey, the Malcolm X Shabazz High School held a celebration for one of their own.

Zaiden McDonald signed to play Division I football at Stanford University. McDonald excels in the classroom, does community service with his school and is scheduled to play in the state championship on Wednesday night.

"This is a life changer. Just to be able to say that I'm going to Stanford, I'm a Stanford man, it means a lot," McDonald said.

McDonald's father got emotional during the celebration.

"I'm super duper proud of my son. I might get a little choked up, but I'm definitely proud of him and I know he is going to do his best. That's all that he has been doing since he was a kid," his father said.

McDonald says he wants to pursue an economics track, one of the most challenging at Stanford, but he says the staff at Malcolm X Shabazz High School prepared him for the difficulty.

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