For the past two months, Portland has been home to two separate groups of college students, all doing their best to learn how to become political and social leaders through summer programs (soooooo cute!). But now, sadly, the summer is winding to a close, and they’re getting ready to go home. Before they go, though, they’re planning a couple of big so-longs.

First up is the August installment of Debate Club, which the Bus Project’s PolitiCorps Fellows have been hard at work on. The topic is “Gentrification: Displacement and Revitalization,” featuring the fine moderating skills of Metro Council President David Bragdon. It’s at rontoms, 600 E Burnside, Tuesday, August 21, 7 pm. Free!

The following night, Wednesday, August 22, is the big send-off for the 13 students of the Northwest Institute For Social Change, which is headed up by former Mercury managing editor Phil Busse. They’ve spent time in the woods, time working on projects, and now it’s time for them to show off what they’ve learned. It all goes down at the Fleming Building, on the corner of NW 6th and Flanders, with doors opening at 6:30 and presentations beginning at 7:30. One of the projects is a documentary about alternative media, featuring interviews with yours truly and Amy J. Ruiz.

Lastly, say goodbye, again, to the Bus Project’s PolitiCorps students with a graduation extravaganza, Saturday, August 24. It goes down at the Ecotrust Building, 721 NW 9th, starting with a cocktail reception at 5:30.

We’ve worked with both groups over the last several weeks, and they’re both great groups of kids. The only thing that would have made it all better would have been a royal rumble in a steel cage. Maybe next year.