MARY HIGGINS sipped at her water bottle as she sat down to chat about an award she received recently.

To most, this wouldn't seem significant, but Mary's global mindset means she thinks a little more about her water than most.

Through her involvement in the Caritas Australia Lenten fundraising appeal, Mary has developed a new appreciation for the ease of access to water we have in our lives.

"The four school captains (at Assumption) are thinking of putting on a fundraising event in our school, where we all have to carry around bottles of water all day,” she said.

"It's an idea to replicate what some people in developing countries have to do every day because they have limited access to water.”

A born leader, Mary is one of four Year 12 student leaders at Assumption College Warwick.

Her passion for community service was recognised on Thursday at the Zonta International Women's Day breakfast, where she was named winner of the 2018 Women in Public Affairs award.

"I was very flattered... Zonta is a great organisation that supports many young women around the world.”

Growing up at Allora, Mary was surrounded by a sense of community spirit from a young age.

"I've been lucky growing up in a very community-minded family with three strong women,” she said.

Belonging to a generation often criticised for its egocentricity and its obsession with technology, Mary says developing empathy for others comes with the realisation you can make a difference in their lives.

"Showing that you can help and make a difference is a way of helping young people get engaged when it comes to global issues like poverty.”

But Mary is also active in addressing some of the big issues facing her community closer to home.

She penned a speech about the topic of social media for the Warwick Lions Youth of the Year quest and caught the eye of Southern Downs Mayor Tracy Dobie, who has recently taken a stance against cyberbullying.

As Mary prepares to meet with the Mayor to talk about an anti- cyberbullying campaign, she said social media was neither good nor bad - it was all about how you used it.

"The impact of social media relies on the choices you make... the hashtags you use and the posts you like. If everyone was more positive in the way they use it, the whole social media world would work in harmony.”