California man vows to send kindergarten class to college instead of buying yacht

The lawyer reportedly was inspired by his pastor to give the kids a chance to go to college.

Marty Burbank has decided to pay for college for 26 kindergartners at Rio Vista Elementary School. (Rio Vista Elementary School)

The kindergartners at Rio Vista Elementary School likely won't finish college until 2032, but their tuition is already accounted for after a stranger has vowed to pay for higher education for an entire class of the youngsters.

Lawyer Marty Burbank and his wife have pledged to pay for the tuition of each of the 26 students for two years at community college and two years at a California public university -- or the same amount if they attend college elsewhere, according to multiple reports.

The deal, of course, comes with a tiny catch: the students at Rio Vista, in Anaheim, California, must give Mr. Burbank an annual update -- either a picture or essay -- about what they want to be when they grow up and what going to college would mean for their families.

"I'm a strong believer in visualizing your goals, and this way they'll be think about this each year for the next 12 years," Mr. Burbank said, according to CNN.

Before deciding to pay for the kids to go to school -- which Mr. Burbank has estimated will cost about $1 million -- he said he was going to buy a yacht. He even had his choices narrowed down to two boats.

But Mr. Burbank's pastor reportedly inspired him to help out the kids in Tessa Ashton's kindergarten class instead.

"I though that buying a boat at that point would be a selfish thing," he said.