teen/teenager

acceptable age-specific terms, although less acceptable in generalizations; young people (the preferred term) reject a one-size-fits-all label and particularly dislike being called kids, girls and boys/boys and girls, youths, adolescents, juveniles, or teenyboppers (which is also sexist, as it's reserved for girls). Older teens can be called young adults, and secondary students can be called high schoolers. One career teacher addresses his high school students as scholars. See also adolescent, ageism, juvenile, youth.