New Mutants
The New Mutants was the name chosen by the second cohort of mutants who attended Xavier's School for the Gifted.
The original members were Roberto da Costa, Samuel Guthrie, Danielle Moonstar, Rahne Sinclair, and Xi'An Coy Manh. Unlike the First Class, these youngesters were brought to the mansion only to be trained in the proficient use of their abilities. The founding members were joined by Douglas Ramsey, Warlock, Illyana Rasputina, James Proudstar, and Amara Aquilla. Kitty Pryde and Rogue were the same age as the other young mutants when they arrived, but are considered members of the Second Class due to being on the X-Men roster well ahead of their peers.
Xavier's was shut down during the Brood Invasion, with the First Class off-planet and the New Mutants forced to throw their talents into protecting the population. After the Invasion the school was reopened.
The New Mutants shifted from students learning to control their powers and started working operationally as a tactical unit. In addition to training with the X-Men and eventually being allowed on occasional missions, the students also found adventure on their own; traveling inter-dimensionally and intergalactically, meeting strange and interesting people, loving and fighting with them. They even visited the past and the future.
Many graduates of the second cohort joined the X-men as full-time members. Some became full team members in their own right and others served as instructors and mentors, but their close family ties persisted. The New Mutants have remained the team for those under training at the mansion who seek adventure on their own terms and those alumni that are willing to help them.
The initial group was eventually joined by Hellion, Rictor, Tarot, Pixie, Boom-Boom, Jubilee, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Prodigy and Rubbermaid-- only some of whom are currently active.