By DOUG WILSON

Herald-Whig Senior Writer

BIGGSVILLE, Ill. -- Miranda Clark, a student at West Central High School, does not want traffic deaths along U.S. 34 to become meaningless statistics.

Clark was preparing to tell people at a memorial service today how Melissa Munoz's death one year ago today has changed things for students who saw the wreckage in front of the school.

"Today would have been Melissa's 36th birthday," said Ralph Grimm, superintendent of West Central School District.

Although none of the students knew the Iowa woman, Grimm said Munoz's death and the frequent traffic crashes along a two-lane section of U.S. 34 has prompted the launch of the 34 VOICES student group which is seeking change.

"Very little has happened in the year since Melissa's death, and the students want to know why. They're frustrated, they're angry. They don't want to understand the politics of Illinois. They want action," Grimm said.

During the past year, the 34 VOICES group has met with state legislators, members of Congress and U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Now the group hopes to meet with former U.S. Speaker Dennis Hastert and Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard, who are promoting passage of a capital construction bill in Illinois.

Miriam Rutzen, another member of 34 VOICES, does not want to see other families suffer the pain the Munoz family and others have endured after needless accidents.

"We have encouraged our legislators to make funding his highway improvement project a priority, and to date, we have seen no progress," Rutzen said.

Grimm said the students have been trying to strike a sensitive balance with their drive. They do not want to exploit the people who have died or been injured on the highway, but they do not want those tragedies to become dry and detached statistics.

34 VOICES is seeking completion of a four-lane upgrade for U.S. 34 between Gulfport and Monmouth. Members have supported the capital bill, which has $74.6 million for the project. The Legislature has not taken action on the construction funding measure this year.

"I just want to say how proud I am of the kids and the way they've become passionate about this," Grimm said.

-- dwilson@whig.com/221-3372