The 17-year-old is captain of the school's senior A netball team which won the 2008 Otago Secondary School Netball Competition, and has been a member of the North Otago U19 Netball squad and triallist for the Otago NPC netball team.
Mairead is also a talented athlete.
She has won the Otago/Southland Athletics senior girls' javelin, she was second in the South Island girls' javelin and third in the National Secondary Schools Athletics Championships.
Mairead has also been captain of the school's basketball A team for the past two years and a member since 2005.
She has coached the school's junior basketball team for the past two years.
Much of Mairead's life is dedicated to sport, but a back injury in 2006 made her consider her long-term future.
The injury put her out of action for more than a month and recovering was one of her greatest challenges.
It was also a source of inspiration.
"It was one of the things that drew me to look at a career in physiotherapy. It's something I can relate to."
Mairead plans to take an outdoor education gap year to the United Kingdom next year before beginning a degree in physiotherapy at the University of Otago.
Achievements: St Kevins Girls Hostel head girl (2008); Otago Secondary School Netball Competition winner; North Otago U19 netball squad; 1st Otago/Southland Athletics senior girls' javelin; 2nd South Island girls' javelin; 3rd National Secondary Schools Athletics Championships; 2008 World Youth Day delegate; Grade 8 Speech and Drama.
Role model: "People who have a lot of time for others and contribute their wealth and knowledge to those less fortunate."
Hopes for the future: To study physiotherapy at the University of Otago.