The Latest Victims Of Sextortion: Student Athletes

Sextortion can be deadly for teen athletes - here's what you need to know. PLUS: Why are so many TikTok videos critical of birth control, and what do kids say about how to get them off their phones?

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• I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and journalist. During the week, I send out editions of my Teen Health Today newsletter that are free for all to read - the most recent is What It Means to Be a Man Today.

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In this edition:

• Here's Back-To-School Advice From Elementary To High School Students

• The Predatory Web Of Sextortion Increasingly Ensnares Young Athletes

• Moms And Teachers Are Mad About School Supplies Again

• U.S. Drinking Drops to New Low, Poll Finds

• Does Preventing Depression Look Different for Black and White Kids?

• What Kids Told Us About How to Get Them Off Their Phones

• Influencers Criticize Birth Control And Push 'Natural' Methods. Here's What To Know

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Here's Back-To-School Advice From Elementary To High School Students (NPR)

By Brittney Melton: As students prepare to head back to school, they may feel a range of emotions. Many may feel excited or anxious about starting a new grade or school. When it comes to having a successful school year, no one knows what they need more than students themselves.

That's why we asked kids across the U.S. to share their best tips on going back to school — and they delivered. Read on for advice from a second-grader all the way to a kid almost done with high school.

Lucy González Brix — second grade: Lucy, who lives in Charles City, Va., has a tip that will help in and out of school: She says she's learning about how to add coins so she can use money. "It's important to know that, so someone doesn't scam you," she said. "Learn kindness and how to help others. You can have lots of friends if you are kind!" Lucy knows this better than anyone — she won a kindness award last school year. READ MORE

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The Predatory Web Of Sextortion Increasingly Ensnares Young Athletes (ESPN)

By Dan Wetzel: This predatory web has snared victims from all kinds of backgrounds. But growing numbers of young, male athletes are particularly vulnerable because of both their elevated social status locally and the desire to project a perfect image for potential college recruitment, according to Abbigail Beccaccio, the chief of the FBI's Child Exploitation Operational Unit.

"If you look at our numbers and you look at how the bad actors are targeting victims, your school athletes are going to have a larger [online] footprint," Beccaccio said. "It is going to make them more vulnerable to these types of targeted attacks. They have more to lose than another individual. ... They're looking at being scouted. They're putting videos of their [highlights] out on social media."