Changing a culture of cynicism

[JamesCH95]

A few things I will note:

The great teams in FIRST and FRC are not stepping on the necks of lesser teams, the great teams are reaching down to lift the lesser teams up on their shoulders. Imparting this mindset to your team, and having positive interactions with other teams, will help to shed (what I think is) the underlying "it's us versus them" attitude that manifests as cynicism on your team. Celebrate all others' successes because they are our successes as members of FIRST.

Lead by example. Get you students to laugh. Taken them with you to talk to other teams. Take them with you to HELP other teams. Make all of them dance. Remind them that they're at a robotics event, any traditional "coolness" got left at the load-in doors and they're not going to impress anyone by being aloof. Reward the worst (I mean best) puns your students make. Remind them, or better yet show them, that people aren't too different between different teams; we're like one big cult (I mean that in a loving way) and they should embrace being part of such a fantastic group.