MSG Teens is a platform founded by an 8th grader in Pittsburgh who believes teenagers deserve better. Like the food additive MSG — unfairly labeled for decades — teens are misunderstood. We're here to change that.
Founded by Joshua Wright, Central Catholic, Pittsburgh PA
The truth about teenagers
Teens are changing the world, one story at a time. We showcase the real side of teenagers that adults rarely see.
May 2026 · Resets monthly
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Our Story
In 6th grade, Joshua Wright was constantly forgetting things and responding slowly. Adults assumed he was being disrespectful — but he was just overwhelmed. That moment stuck with him.
Just like MSG, the food additive blamed for health problems for decades before science cleared its name, teenagers carry an unfair label. Most people assume the worst. MSG Teens exists to prove them wrong — one real story at a time.
Featured Article
May 12, 2026
Gitanjali Rao is a young scientist and inventor who has changed the world with her creative, real-world thinking. Since she was a young girl, she showed a strong interest in science and how it can be used to help other people.
One of her most important inventions is a device that detects lead in drinking water. She created it after learning about the Flint Water Crisis, where a change in the city's water source exposed around 100,000 residents to unsafe water. Lead is especially dangerous because it can damage the brain and nervous system, particularly in children. Gitanjali designed a device called Tethys that uses new technology to quickly detect lead.
She also created an app called Kindly, which uses artificial intelligence to detect cyberbullying. Studies show that a large percentage of teens experience online harassment, and Kindly helps by analyzing messages and warning users before harmful content is sent.
Gitanjali's achievements include being named TIME's Kid of the Year, giving a TED Talk, and receiving recognition from major science organizations. Today she attends MIT, where she continues developing new ideas to solve global problems. She believes that anyone, no matter their age, can make a difference if they stay curious and keep trying.
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Every story here is real. Every person deserves to be understood.
May 12, 2026
Student Story
Ben is a student whose story shows that behavior does not always tell the full story about a person. Often sitting at the edge of his seat, tapping his pencil, looking around the room — adults saw disruption. But Ben was just trying his best.
Read Ben's full story →May 26, 2026
Personal Story
At home, my parent asked me to do some chores, but I didn't answer right away and stayed on my phone for a minute. Right away, they got frustrated and said I was being disrespectful and not listening.
From their point of view, it looked like I was ignoring them and choosing not to help, which made the situation worse quickly. They assumed that I didn't care and that I was just being lazy or difficult on purpose. It seemed like I was choosing my phone over responsibility, and that I wasn't respecting what they asked me to do.
That assumption turned a small moment into a bigger problem because it felt like they had already decided what kind of person I was at that moment.
But the truth is, I wasn't trying to be disrespectful at all. I had a lot on my mind and felt overwhelmed, so I didn't respond right away. I was going to help — I just needed a second to process and shift my focus. What they didn't see was that I wasn't refusing. I just needed a little time and understanding, not to be judged right away.
Real teens doing real good. Every photo tells a story adults need to see.
