“the swimming contest” ends with the word “losers.” what do you think the author means for readers to understand was lost? how does this relate to the historical conflict between the two people groups represented in this story?

"Loser" is a word that decribes many things but mostly its a  noun

a person or thing that loses or has lost something, especially a game or contest.

synonyms:defeated person, also-ran, the defeated, the vanquished; runner-up

"candidates compete against each other, so there are winners and losers"

a person who accepts defeat with good or bad grace, as specified.

"we won fair and square—they should concede that and be good losers"

a person or thing that is put at a disadvantage by a particular situation or course of action.

"children are the losers when politicians keep fiddling around with education"

  plan: i will begin with a quotation about the importance of unity in a community. then, i will state my claim that an activity will unite our school by creating a shared vision, purpose, and direction. in the body, i will use three main points that describe the different avenues the students can take: through a variety of clubs, through a special event, or through an awareness week. i will provide evidence about other towns that have unity activities and the kinds of events that they include. pictures will illustrate my three main points in action. for the ending, i will restate the main idea in a new way and pose a question to keep the audience thinking.