With a lot of negative attention being aimed at teens of Generation Y, it is easy to blame technology for the seemingly lack of intelligence and inability to communicate. However, like many situations, the negative aspects are being publicized way more than the positive. And quite frankly Gen-Y is one very passionate generation and, because of their access to technology, they consume all sorts of intelligent information if they choose.

Here’s a list of teens who’ve combated the negative stigma of Gen-Y and also have intelligent opinions on very modern social issues. In my opinion, we should be taking notes from them!

1. Zendaya

Disney star, Zendaya, has transcended her teeny-bopper image from the Shake It Off show and used her new found fame as a platform to educate her followers on the dangers that border cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation, which has become a heated debate within the last year. In a recent interview with Nylon Magazine to talk about the dangers of not being educated on the historical context of trends she stated, “Some things are really sacred and important to other cultures, so you have to be aware, politically, about those things before you just adopt them. In order to appreciate something, you have to know about it and understand.”

2. Rowan Blanchard

This Girl Meets World star has definitely made me question so many things for the better. Although she is relatively new to the Hollywood scene this star, at 14 years old, was able to confidently come out as queer. The key lesson here is that at such a young age she is starting a positive trend by not claiming sexuality before you’ve even fully developed. According to Teen Vogue she stated, "I personally don't wanna label myself as straight, gay or whateva," she wrote on Twitter. "So I am not gonna give myself labels to stick with—just existing." She also admitted that yes she’s only been with guys, but by labeling herself she could inhibit her fluidity as she gets older, which is genius.

3. Troye Sivan

In a YouTube video uploaded in 2014 titled “Let’s Talk About Sex” he spoke, then at the age of 19, about HIV/AIDS and the importance of safe sex. Let’s face it, still in today’s world both men and women have difficulty tackling the issue without negativity or a sense of blame and shaming towards those with HIV/AIDS. This refreshing video is great for two reasons: he opens up the video by simply stating a relatable ignorance that he as a well-educated student knows relatively nothing about the topic, so he was willing to learn alongside his viewers. Secondly, he gets to the bottom line that literally anyone, regardless of sexuality and race, can get it so we should stop making safe sex a joke and be responsible.

4. Amanda Stenberg

This Hunger Games star proved to be just as strong off camera as she is on screen! Over the past few months she gained attention after calling out Kylie Jenner on her appropriation by wearing cornrows. Despite being under fire, she also made a YouTube video called Don't Cash Crop On My Cornrows in which she explains the suffrage and scrutiny African American’s have gone through because of the public in order to get people to understand the sensitivity behind supposedly small things.

5. Isabella Mills

Although not famous in the conventional sense, this 11-year-old Aussie made a video slamming the Australian Prime Minister Turnbull for his roundabout proposal for a plebiscite on marriage equality that would undoubtedly be shut down. Australia has been a little behind on social issues involving the gay community and is still facing resistance at the government level. In her video she calls out the PM for essentially throwing $160 million on a pointless plebiscite despite the fact that Australia as a whole has expressed their support on gay marriage.

6. Essena O'Neill

The current 21^st century issue for most teens is how they portray themselves on social media. Everyone admits their social media is exaggerated, but because of the culture it is rare to combat the problem. This Instagram star spoke out on her experience. This 18-year-old Australian quit social media after being paid to sell an image that was not hers and stated in an interview with the Guardian, “Yet I, myself, was consumed by it. This was the reason why I quit social media: for me, personally, it consumed me. I wasn’t living in a 3D world.”

7. Ariel Winter

An underrated star in Modern Family underwent some criticism this past August because of her admittance that she would undergo breast reduction. Her explanation at the time was simply because of her health, but also because she was being over-sexualized as a 18-year-old by the media whenever she went to award shows and was criticized for dressing beyond her years. At the recent SAG awards, she was able to show off her post surgery scars and give a sense of realism to others who may be considering the same thing.

Moral of the story: take notes because despite the bad rep, this generation knows what they're talking about!