Local high school student’s class project becomes real campaign for Progressive Ozark Bank

Progressive Ozark Bank is proud to announce that a marketing project created by a local high school senior will soon become part of a real advertising campaign promoting the bank’s Kids Grow Savings account.

Amaya King, a senior at Licking High School, developed the campaign as part of her Applied Math class, where students were tasked with applying linear equations to real-world situations. Amaya chose to focus on interest rates and banking, ultimately creating an advertisement that demonstrated how saving early helps children grow their money over time.

“This project focuses on using linear equations in real-world situations,” King said. “It led me to interest rates and I connected it to the real world by creating an advertisement.”

Amaya’s concept centered on a simple but powerful message of how parents guide children in learning the concept of how things grow over time. She designed the ad to appeal to both kids and parents, using bright visuals to capture attention while building an emotional connection rooted in trust.

“The message I wanted people to take away was trust,” King explained. “I wanted families to feel confident that the bank is a safe and reliable place for their children’s money.”

To shape her approach, Amaya researched Progressive Ozark Bank to better understand its role in the community and how math applies to everyday banking.

“I worked to understand the Bank’s brand by considering its focus on families and community,” she said. “It helped guide my design and message.”

Bank leadership said they were immediately impressed — not only by the creativity of the concept, but by the depth of research, insight, and attention to detail.

“I thought the ad was great when I first saw it,” said Licking Branch Vice President & Loan Officer, Jason Stone. “I thought it could be a great opportunity to support a local student, so we quickly set up a second presentation for our marketing department.”

“Advertising in banking comes with significant regulatory requirements,” said Senior Vice President of Marketing & Business Development, Cynthia Ramsey. “Amaya demonstrated an impressive understanding of our brand, our audience, and the compliance considerations involved. Her work showed both creativity and responsibility — qualities that are essential in financial marketing.”

Progressive Ozark Bank is now building a broader campaign around Amaya’s original ad concept to promote the Kids Grow Savings account. In addition, the bank plans to collaborate with her again on a future campaign for its Student Debit Card.

“The opportunity to use her work in a real campaign is a testament to her talent,” Ramsey added. “We are proud to support young leaders who are already thinking critically about their future and the communities they serve.”

For Amaya, seeing her classroom project transition into a real-world campaign has been both exciting and affirming.

“I was nervous at first, but also proud knowing my work could be used in a real campaign,” she said. “I’ve always loved marketing, and working on a project that could be used in a real campaign made a career in advertising feel within reach.”

Progressive Ozark Bank is committed to investing in local students, supporting education, and helping families build strong financial futures—one account at a time.

For more information about the Kids Grow Savings account, visit www.ProgressiveOzarkBank.com.