success?

I told my students when we began our multigenre research papers I wanted them to complete a big project so they could have the satisfaction of completing something significant. Most of the students complained the entire time. "This is too hard," they whined...on and on and on... One of my classes got really into the project. They all did very well. Several students who haven't done anything all year, completed most of the project. After they presented a few of their genres to the class one sweet student turned to another student and said quite nonchalantly, "Ms. Thackeray was right. You really do feel good after this project's done." This is where I could have and half wanted to make an "I told you so" moment. But I didn't. I let the students revel in their success for the rest of the period eating ever so scrumptious black and white 1920s cupcakes and sipping a lime spritzer (aka 7-Up with a fresh lime wedge).