Prom: This one-syllable word brings forth thoughts of fancy dresses, slick tuxes, expensive dinners, and a magical night of dancing and fun to teenagers across the country. For Northside High School, prom is scheduled for April 21^st, making it a distant thought for many. However, Orin Lincoln, a senior here at Northside, has taken the initiative to ask his dream date to prom two whole months in advance. At first, this seems to be a very premature decision. But when one considers the fact that this perfect girl’s name is Betty White (yes, THE Betty White), the early invitation doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Orin, being a very intelligent individual, realized that a simple email saying “Wanna go to prom?” just wouldn’t cut it for the hilarious and very esteemed actress. So Orin stepped it up a notch and wrote Betty White an original song (which you can watch on the link below). He put on his tux, pulled up a chair to his piano, and made a video of himself singing his heart out in hopes that Betty White would see his unique invitation someday soon.

Orin’s video has captured the attention of students, teachers, parents, and even local news stations WTVM and WRBL.

Many Northside students (including Tara Tompkins, Reagan Lammert and Patrick Ndungu)are raising awareness of Orin's dream to go to prom with Betty White by tweeting about it on Twitter.

And Orin isn’t the only one who wants to see his dreams come true. Dozens of people have re-posted and shared the link to Orin’s video through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Junior, Bryce Jackson, is currently keeping a running count of how many mentions the hashtag #OrinAndBettyWhite is getting on Twitter, and several students, including senior Emily Fitts and Northside alumnus Liz Carson, have submitted the video to popular talk-show host Ellen Degeneres through Facebook and her show’s website. Carlie Cooper, Orin’s public relations representative, says “When Orin mentioned the idea to me, I was absolutely thrilled and I told him I would do anything to help him. So, I sent the video to WTVM. They aired it the next evening.”

Orin says that the thought of asking Betty White to prom surfaced during Ms. Mion’s AP U.S. Government and Politics class last semester. One of his classmates joked that Orin should ask Ms. White to prom and he immediately loved the idea. At first he was uncertain if asking her to prom would be a good idea. However, when his grandmother, approaching the age of 92 and an avid Betty White fan, encouraged him to pursue his dream, he got to work on his catchy song that has captured the attention of the entire community.

Surprisingly, Lincoln’s original song was created in just one night. Using a chord progression from a song he had entertained at GHP (Governor’s Honors Program) as a Piano Minor this summer, Lincoln says that the lyrics fit well and suited his singing style. He also says he got inspiration from several famous pop artists. “Anyone who has ever heard me sing Florence and the Machine or Lady Gaga should not be surprised at how I composed the melody,” said Lincoln.

Although his hopes of attending prom with Betty White are very high, Orin says that he would understand if she

Orin's personal tweet about his dream date and the sensation he has created in the community.

has prior commitments on April 21^st. “If Betty White even acknowledges the video, I think that would be fantastic. But of course, I would love for her to come. Hopefully Betty White will be glad to know how much people want her to come to the Northside High School prom,” he said.

Help Orin Lincoln reach Betty White by posting the video to your Facebook and Twitter pages. The more people that know about it, the more likely Betty will see it.