Fall 2025 SOAR Magazine

W hen Nicole Marshall talks about leadership, she isn’t thinking about titles. She’s thinking about the shy girl who leads a campfire song for the first time, the high schooler mapping out her Gold Award project, the elementary student learning that their voice matters.

weathered grief, explored identity, and supported one another during personal challenges. Through it all, Girl Scouts provided what Nicole calls “an unmatched environment of acceptance, encouragement, and growth.” “No matter what a girl is going through, Girl Scouts is a place to grow into who you’re meant to be. The leadership skills, the confidence, the support—it’s unmatched.” changed how they gather. Instead of weekly meetings, the girls meet socially once a semester, while the rest of the year focuses on independent projects that let them lead in their own circles. Nicole has never forced a one-size-fits-all model, instead, she’s trusted her girls to take the lead. That flexibility reflects her larger philosophy: leadership looks different for everyone, but every girl deserves the chance to discover her own style. “I can’t wait to see our girls go out into the world and make an impact,” she says. “Some will stay here, some will move away, but I know they’ll lead in their own ways.” Whether in the school hallway or around a campfire, Nicole Marshall leads by example. And for the girls who’ve grown up under her guidance, leadership will never just be a title, it will be a way of life. Now, as her troop enters their senior year of high school, busy schedules have

Nicole knows those moments can change a life— because she’s spent more than a decade creating them.

Nicole is the principal at Ray Miller Elementary School in Kirksville, Missouri, a troop leader to high school Girl Scouts, and a lifelong Girl Scout herself. She has spent more than a decade shaping girls’ futures, sometimes in the classroom, sometimes at a troop meeting, always with a heart for helping kids grow. Nicole’s Girl Scout story started long before she had a school office or a volunteer title. “I was a Girl Scout when I was younger,” she recalls. “I still have all my patches and the pillow I made at day camp. I wanted my daughter to have those same kinds of memories.” Her daughter, Kate, became the spark that brought Nicole back to Girl Scouts. In Kate’s kindergarten year, Nicole signed her up and rejoined the fold as a troop volunteer. Before long, she was taking on Cookie and Treats & Reads manager roles, co-directing day camp, and then running it herself for several years. She also stepped into neighborhood and district manager roles, often juggling multiple responsibilities in the same year. Each role let her build connections with kids, parents, and other volunteers that turned acquaintances into a tight-knit community. As an educator, Nicole has always believed in giving kids ownership over their learning. That philosophy carried over into her Girl Scout leadership, and it works both ways. “My experience in education helps me stay organized and adjust when something isn’t working for a child,” she says. “And Girl Scouts gives me a different perspective, seeing kids in their fun, social environment helps me bring that understanding back into the classroom.” For Nicole, leadership is the most valuable skill Girl Scouts can teach. She’s seen girls blossom into confident, capable decision-makers. “I’ve seen it within my own daughter. Girl Scouts gave her more leadership opportunities at a younger age than school could. It’s a safe space to try, to lead, and even to fail.”

That safe space has carried her troop through more than projects and badges. Over the years, they’ve

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