Elk Grove teen gets a 'Hill' of a surprise

Christine Miller, 16, of Elk Grove Village watches the gang on "One Tree Hill" every week.

Now, she will get to star alongside them in a walk-on role on the TV show after winning a CW network contest.

Miller filmed a video appeal to win the contest in January, and got the good news in March.

The Elk Grove High School junior is one of eight fans from around the country to win a walk-on role.

She leaves Thursday with her mom, Maria, on an all-expenses paid trip to Wilmington, N.C., where the show is filmed, for a weekend on the set of her favorite show.

It makes sense that Miller would win the show's Ultimate Fan contest.

In the short video (www.cwtv.com/thecw/macys), Miller says: "I eat, breathe and sleep 'One Tree Hill.'"

Miller learned she won in a phone call. She immediately started crying, so her friends around her thought someone she knew had died.

"I was in tears," Miller said. "At first I was like, 'Shut up, who is this?'"

A condition was that she couldn't even tell her friends she won until later.

Now that they do know, they all want to get autographs from the stars.

She said she doesn't know when the episode will air.

Miller said she's excited about the opportunity to meet the stars. Her favorite is Sophia Bush.

But she harbors no expectations for the trip, other than a memorable time.

"I'm not really sure what to expect to be honest," Miller said.

As for a future in acting, Miller said it's something she thought about when she was younger, but she has no current plans in that area.