They'll be part of International Walk to School Week, a campaign to get kids moving, improve pedestrian safety and show residents how walkable their communities are.

It is a simple, rather old-fashioned-sounding effort that has profound modern implications. Major health initiatives from the Centers for Disease Control and the Surgeon General have emphasized everyday activity as an important but overlooked tool in curbing overweight and boosting fitness.

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The Enquirer Editorial Board's series, "Healthy Kids, Healthy Future," is promoting the same idea, asking families, schools and community leaders to pledge to make small changes to help kids be healthier. Dozens of readers have called, written and emailed in pledges since the campaign began last Sunday. Below, see examples of our first round of pledges and use the Join Us form to take part in this important effort.

Walk to School Week is a great way to get moving. Now we just have to convince the kids not to dawdle.

For most children, walking to school is fun, especially if done with a parent or a friend. Last year, 2.5 million children in 29 nations took part in Walk to School Day, which is Wednesday, and the highlight of the weeklong observance. This year, organizers say 3 million children who usually ride will walk to school as the appeal of the program takes hold.

Locally, St. Thomas School in Ft. Thomas is holding its third annual Walk To School Day on Wednesday and encouraging students, teachers, parents and community residents to take part. Physical education teacher Jane Zapp says walking to school is a great way, not only to wedge in physical activity, but to help kids reconnect to siblings and parents. "It's wonderful to see fathers who will be busy all day take the time to walk and talk with their kids on the way to school in the morning."

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Bicycling and Walking Study estimates that Americans walk at least 20.5 billion miles each year, and that about 7 billion of those miles replace miles driven in a car. Taken together, biked and walked miles save at least 420 million gallons of gasoline each year and at least 4.2 million tons of vehicle emissions.

With an intentional effort, the study says, Americans could walk at least 10 billion more miles each year, saving fuel, lowering traffic congestion and improving personal health dramatically.

We encourage families who can to walk to school this week. We also encourage communities to make walking to school a good option for children by creating safe routes to school, enforcing school speed zones and building bike paths and connecting sidewalks.

Sometimes the best solutions lie right outside our front door.

Taking the pledge for healthier lives

St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs:

Physical education teacher Peggy Henn is including more fitness in her classes - more warm-ups and more stretching. She's also adding a 'Focus on Fitness' article in her monthly newsletter to parents and plans to add a walking activity during recess. "We as a society are going to pay because of all these funky diets everyone is trying, our sedentary lifestyle and because we are pushing young kids to be one-dimensional sport jocks who are so burned out from playing either before college or in college that they are not going to lead active lifestyles after college," she writes.

Carole Gentry, grandmother, Delhi Township:

Mrs. Gentry is pledging to give her grandchildren only healthy snacks - fresh fruit, nuts, dried fruit, homemade whole-grain baked goods and sugar free pop. "The food industry will change if we cause it to," she says.

Meg and Rob Schroeder and their sons Dan, Matt, and Nick, Madeira:

The Schroeder family is limiting their snacking. Mom Meg has pledged to prepare more homemade meals and to take healthier snacks to her sons' classrooms. Son Dan, 11, has pledged that for every minute on the computer, he'll spend two minutes at a physical activity. Matt, 6, is substituting water for fruit drinks and has challenged the family to hike on weekends. Nick, 3, is going to eat less chocolate.

TriHealth Fitness and Health Pavilion, Montgomery:

TriHealth, a medically based fitness facility, will offer a scholarship program for young people who have a medical or behavioral need for its fitness and nutrition programs and also will begin a poster contest to promote fitness in elementary schools. TriHealth will also continue to look for opportunities to tailor fitness programs to children and adolescents, from a Teens in Training fitness and nutrition program for 13-year-olds to exercise classes for babies to 13-year-olds while their parents exercise.

St. Therese School, Southgate:

St Therese School is replacing its annual candy sale fundraiser with a walk-a-thon. Students and parents will take pledges for a two-mile walk from the school to the Southgate Community Center. "It shows our commitment to our children getting out and being active. It's also a great community-building activity for our school," says principal Dot O'Leary.

City of Montgomery:

City officials are designating 1.5-mile walking routes through Montgomery's historic downtown district and its parks and is promoting a community walking night. Montgomery is also studying the idea of having police officers or city staff walk the route with residents as a way to build community relations and emphasize safety.

American Heart Association:

The Heart Association pledges to support healthy lifestyle choices by developing programs that target youth. "It's an effort to reduce the childhood obesity epidemic and ultimately reduce children's risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life," writes Doug Martin, Cincinnati Metro director of the American Heart Association.