WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

step forward
    v 1: make oneself visible; take action; "Young people should
         step to the fore and help their peers" [syn: come to the
         fore, step forward, come forward, step up, step to
         the fore, come out]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

34 Moby Thesaurus words for "step forward":
   advance, come along, come forward, come on, cover ground,
   gain ground, gather head, gather way, get ahead, get along, go,
   go ahead, go along, go fast, go forward, go on, make good time,
   make head against, make headway, make progress,
   make progress against, make strides, make up leeway, move,
   move forward, need no prodding, pass along, pass on, proceed,
   progress, roll, stem, travel, volunteer