Sure, you may have the figure to drop ‘em dead in your evening gown and the poise to answer a judge’s weighty question, but if you’re not logging hours as a volunteer, don’t even think about applying to be the next Ms. — yep, that’s “Ms.” — America.

“If they’re not doing any form of community service, I won’t even let them compete in the pageant,” says Susan Jeske, director of the contest for women age 26 and older.

Luckily, Jane Park Smith of Valencia, Calif., had served as a spokesperson and activist for The Katrina Family Relocation Project and was in the midst of planning a fundraiser for Kenyan orphans when she entered the competition that took place on Oct. 20.

“I realized if I had a title like Ms. America, I could get more support,” the 31-year-old broadcast journalist-turned-actor says.

After whizzing through the categories of interview, evening gown and community service (verified by the panel of five judges), Smith was presented with the coveted crown along with a prize package that included $500 and jewelry.

“It wasn’t a matter of what I got,” says Smith, who holds a black belt in taekwondo. “It was what I could possibly give through having this title.”

Still, Smith was surprised when she was selected as the winner out of the 13 contestants.

“As soon as it registered in my mind, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I have a lot of work to do!’”