PHILADELPHIA -- President George W. Bush's Supreme Court nominee, Samuel Alito, is a federal judge in Philadelphia and he served as New Jersey's U.S. attorney.

Video: Nominee's Mother Talks To NBC 10
Alito is a graduate of Princeton and Yale. Monday, his hometown of Hamilton Township, N.J., was beaming with pride, along with his mother.

Outside the home he grew up in, Alito's 90-year old mother, Rose, was a little overwhelmed by his nomination.

"I'm just happy. He's a very intelligent man and things will go well with him," Rose Alito said.

Alito graduated top of his class in 1968 at Steinert High School in Hamilton Township. Elaine Tarr was Alito's 10th-grade English teacher.

"Despite the fact that he seemed to be head-over-heels above the other students, he was never arrogant, he was never condescending, he was kind of an introverted, introspective kind of youngster," Tarr said.

Tarr said that Alito has asked her to be a character reference during the nomination process and she said she gladly agreed.

Ross Edwards lived a few doors away from Alito. His children went to school with Alito.

"He was a very smart kid. He was the one that always got the A's and my kids would be close, but never could beat him," Edwards said.

Alito's mother and his late father, Anthony, were both high school teachers.

Education was paramount for Alito, but he did have time for some fun.

A neighbor said that Alito enjoyed playing catch.

"He used the back of the house is brick and he used to play catch with himself and bounce the baseball up against the side of the house. I'd always see him out there," the woman said.

Rose Alito said that she always knew that his education was lead to great things, but never dreamed it would lead to the Supreme Court.

"I'm very proud of him," Rose Alito said.