Forty World War II veterans will travel to Washington, D.C. and see the long-awaited memorial honoring their service thanks to a group of students at Olentangy Liberty High School.

The school’s DECA chapter, part of a national association of marketing students, presented a check for $10,000 to the Honor Flight Network on Friday. The nonprofit organization will use the money students raised to transport veterans and volunteers to the nation’s capital this fall.

“You’re the ones that make that possible,” Honor Flight Columbus director Bobbi Richards told the students. “We promise these veterans we won’t let the next generation forget their sacrifices and your efforts show that.”

Richards thanked them for months of work to raise money and awareness for Honor Flight.

Liberty’s DECA chapter, which consists of 65 members, began working on “Operation MACTO” in October, a project to honor past, present and future members of the United States military. The word “macto” is Latin for “to glorify or honor,” said DECA advisor Mike Rees.