DETROIT, MI -- A viral video of a Detroit kids choir's rendition of the Pharrell Williams hit song "Happy" appears to be gaining national interest.

And it might not stop there based on the feedback and flood of calls the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences has received this week after it was posted on YouTube.

"It's been amazing," said Maurice Morton, the school's CEO, in an interview Tuesday morning with MLive.com. "And to be honest with you, it was just a rehearsal clip!

"It was just 'Let's learn a new song,' and then one of the parents decided to pull out their phone, get the video and put it online."

You can watch the video in the YouTube player below; as of 11:50 a.m. Tuesday the video had generated 97,831 views since it was published March 7.

Morton said the school, a 16-year-old charter on the east side of Jefferson Avenue, received so many calls about the video Tuesday morning that it had to put a second secretary in the main office to answer the phones.

This video captures a rehearsal from the school's show choir of 40 children ranging from third to eighth grade.

"Something like this, with this kind of response, motivates our kids to want to achieve and do better," Morton said.

The Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences has an enrollment of about 1,000 students, and about 95 percent of the students live in the city, Morton said.

Morton hopes all the YouTube popularity will lead to some financial support for a trip the school's choir has planned for Orlando's Disney World in May.

The school wants to send 50 students to Disney World so they can perform there and needs financial assistance to help fund the $20,000 to $25,000 needed for the trip.

Those interested in making a contribution can call the elementary school at (313) 259-1744 or the middle school at (313) 259-1704.

"We're in awe, we're just amazed," Morton said of the feedback, including a call Tuesday from NBC's "Today" show. "This says a lot; Detroit has a lot of talent, amazing talent!"

Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences opened 16 years ago and is considered one of the oldest charter schools of its kind in the state.

Morton said the school hasn't got a response from Williams, whose "Happy" is the No. 1 song on Billboard Hot 100, but likes its chance of connecting with the star.

"I have a feeling that's going to happen soon enough," Morton said laughing, "especially in light of the NBC 'Today' show call we got."

Morton declined to reveal what plans the school choir has with the "Today" show, but said he had a feeling it was going to finalize "something big" with the show by the end of the school day Tuesday.

"I can't get into details yet," Morton said. "I'm holding my tongue right now; they are very interested."