goody two-shoes.(Karolina Kurkova)

She had her first Vogue cover at sixteen. Now she's 22 and ready to give back. One night in April, Karolina Kurkova, the long, lanky model from Decin, Czech Republic, went to the United Nations to receive something called the New Generation Award from Women Together, an organization that gives "microcredit" loans to empower women through economic independence.

Kurkova was being toasted for her contribution to global issues and human rights, and she held her own in stellar company: Other honorees included Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, the singer Shakira, and Angelina Jolie. Dressed in a Ralph Lauren silk crepe dress, a wrap jacket, and high Christian Louboutin d'Orsay pumps with the ubiquitous geranium-red soles, Karolina made a humble and brief acceptance speech from four index cards written out in giant block lettering.

Kurkova has been exploring the globe with the Global Youth Action Network (GYAN), working closely with the group's founder, Benjamin Quinto. "He is an amazing young man who wants youth around the world to have access to information, knowledge, and be able to have an opinion," explained Kurkova, sliding into a gray banquette at the Mercer Hotel for tea the next morning. "My life has been so good. I had a great childhood, a great family, a great career. I've got sunshine, energy, and it's a gift I wish to share." She was wearing a gray silk cashmere Ralph Lauren V-neck pullover, black trousers, and a wonderful black Dior Men's trench coat by Hedi Slimane, accessorized by a classic quilted Chanel handbag on a gold chain.

DO THE RIGHT THING

Karolina is terribly proud of something called Chat the Planet, a satellite program of GYAN that works to help young people in different countries, on different continents, communicate. "We recently did a hookup of young people in Baghdad to young people in South Africa, then New York. They get to understand tolerance, ideas on race, sex, war, geo_political issues. What I want to help people of my generation to do is have a voice, have an opinion that matters."

Kurkova has also been working for the past two years with Free Arts, a charity that supports abused children. She's come a long way from the day she stepped into a modeling agency in Prague, after one of her best friends mailed them snapshots. The supermodel dream machine worked for her, and now she's helping others reach for their dreams.

"Look, it's not always about private jets and the best destination, the best designer look," she said when I asked her if she had any advice for the kids.