The Prism: Every Side of the Story


It has been about five years now since the release of Microsoft’s and Sony’s flagship consoles, the Xbox One and Playstation 4, respectively. In other words, the launch versions of both companies’ hardware are still operating based on technology that is half a decade old. Despite this, both Sony and Microsoft have made efforts to ensure that they offer more powerful options to consumers. In the case of Sony, this took the form of the Playstation 4 Pro, which introduced a faster and more powerful unit that delivered better in-game performance and was capable of 4K gaming, as well as HDR. As for Microsoft, it too released a more powerful Xbox One, the Xbox One X, which is around 4.5 times more powerful than the original Xbox One. Though these upgrades were significant, it is becoming increasingly evident that both companies are preparing for the capabilities of their next generation consoles.

During their E3 2018 presentation, Microsoft announced that it is currently designing the system architecture for the next generation of Xbox consoles. Also worth noting is that the team working on the project is the same team that built the Xbox One X, which is an indication that if anything, consumers and fans should be expecting a very powerful console. What is interesting, though, is that head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, had mentioned that the teams have been designing multiple consoles, as opposed to the previously traditionally singular one. This information led to rumors and speculation discussed by Windows Central, who revealed that they had heard Microsoft was indeed working on two console variations. The first of which is codenamed “Lockheart” which is supposedly positioned as a modest upgrade to the current Xbox One X that will feature a lower price point in an attempt to provide an option for more casual gamers. The other device is known as “Anaconda,” and is said to be a true upgrade to the Xbox One X for dedicated fans, with a higher price point than “Lockheart.”

Microsoft is also expanding its console market in the form of their “Project xCloud” which will expand the Xbox game library to virtually any device with streaming capabilities. This project, akin to Google’s “Stadia” project, will take some time to get off the ground, but it is clear that Microsoft has a good idea of where it would like to head in the future with its games division.

Sony’s future plans happen to be much more straightforward than Microsoft’s. In fact, Sony has already revealed a lot of what they plan on offering with the Playstation 5, at least in terms of power. The PS5 will feature an SSD storage system, backwards compatibility with all PS4 games and PSVR hardware, and support for 8K TVs. Though there will certainly be more specs than what has been revealed thus far, what has been announced already is enticing. With the new SSD storage system, the console will be able to load games up to nineteen times faster than the PS4. This will allow, for example, transitions in open world titles like Spider-Man to load in a single second on the Playstation 5, whereas on a PS4, loading would take about fifteen seconds minimum.

Both Sony and Microsoft appear to have set plans for where they would like to take their console markets. Microsoft is focused on broadening its scope to be more inclusive of both casual and dedicated game fans, while also eventually planning to have a streaming service allowing for almost anyone to play its content. Sony’s plans are still rather ambiguous, but it has at least provided information about how powerful the console will be. Boasting incredibly fast loading times, coupled with full backwards compatibility as well as support for extremely high resolution games, it feels like Sony is taking the right steps to carry over as much of its current PS4 user base as possible. How successful both companies will find themselves after enacting their plans is currently unknown, but what can be said for sure is that the next console generation looks as though it will be quite interesting and different from previous ones. Analysts have been predicting the “death of consoles” for years, believing that both PC gaming and streaming services would soon dominate the market. Microsoft having plans to create its own streaming service would play nicely into that idea, if it were not for the fact that it will simultaneously continue offering physical consoles as well. As technology inevitably improves with the release of the new consoles, it is still questionable as to how reliable an alternative streaming service will be, but only time will tell.

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The wage gap between men and women players in professional sports is the focus of this series in which those stories are illuminated.

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Most people are conscious of the substantial wage gap between men and women. On average, for every dollar a man earns, a woman makes earns only seventy cents for that same job. However, an important aspect of the wage gap that a bulk of people are not informed about, is that race also factors into the wage gap.

The comparative rate between how much a woman makes for the amount that a man earns is the same for how much a white man earns compared to how much a black man earns for that same job. According to TIME Magazine, that is twenty-one dollars for the white man and fifteen for a black man.

There are various and controversial reasons for the difference in pay. One of those reasons according to The Atlantic is, “The persistent inequality of educational opportunities (of African Americans).” Without there being the same level of education, employers are not paying for the same level of work, which in turn means that employees get paid less.

Another contributing factor to the difference of pay is, “The result is a black populace that tends to earn lower wages, which keeps the cycle going.” Without being able to break away and earn more, the amount they earn will remain constant rather of increasing as it should.

Initiatives that can be taken to prevent the continuation of the wage gap are to combat poor levels of education and to fight back against unfair hiring practices that are carried about by some companies due to certain biases. All aspects of wage gaps between all people are unacceptable, all people regardless of race and gender deserve to get paid all the same for the work the preform.

pointe shoes

Pointe shoes are shoes worn by dancers in ballet and contemporary dance to allow them to dance on the tips of their toes. These special shoes are extremely strong and durable,  while creating a weighless illusion of the dancers, being that their entire weight is placed in the tip of the pointe shoe.

In the professional world, it is expected that all dancers wear pointe shoes within their  numbers. The shoes are supposed to make the dancers seem light and as though they are flying,. They  should blend seamlessly with the dancer, so it appears as an extension of her, not an attachment. But, until recently, pointe shoes have come in only light shades; the most popular of those being, “European Pink,” leaving dancers of darker complexions shoeless.

Gaynor Minden has been of the first companies that has manufactured shoes for dancers of darker complexions. Up until now, darker dancers have been painting or “pancaking” their pointe shoes with paint  in an attempt to make it match their skin tones.

Being forced to do this, and with companies not stepping up to make the necessary changes, these dancers feel like they don’t belong. Dance is an art and a freeing form of expression for many people, so these dancers feeling like they don’t belong is unacceptable.

Even Misty Copeland, the first African-American woman to get a principal role in the American Ballet Theatre, struggled with  not having shoes for her complexion, but with her dancing claim to fame and powerful influence, she had been a catalyst in the community. She is continuously pushing for more companies to make darker colored pointe shoes.



There aren’t words to describe Hadestown! I saw it right before it opened and my first reaction was that I wanted to go see it again! For the uninitiated, Hadestown is an original musical by Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 / The Royal: A Play in Six Rounds) based on the myths of Hades and Persephone, and Orpheus and Eurydice. But what makes it so good?  


by Tyler Coley

It’s 6:10 am and I’m awake, staring at my wall. I’d normally be excited to go away, especially to get a day off from school, but this is a business trip. Being on the LWA Varsity Basketball Team comes with its perks, but at the end of the day, hundreds and even thousands of hours are put in to make this team successful. My team and I worked extremely hard for this, putting in the utmost effort at practice- Monday through Saturday since November- and we’re finally here. I arrive at school in the morning, accompanied by my teammates for a quick breakfast, before taking the 5 hour journey to Glens Falls. The bus ride is quiet for a while, and then there are times when we all joke around and laugh together. However, everyone knows in their mind what has to be done. This is a business trip, not a vacation.


Students of the class of 2019 announced their college decisions to the whole Upper School on National Decision Day, May 1st. On this day, every senior going to college makes his or her deposit for the college of their choice. This was a big day for every senior and even a big day for the underclassmen,  giving them a glimpse of their future.

The seniors dressed in their college apparel or printed out the name of their college to present to the upper school and show their school pride. This event is extremely important as it recognizes the hard work of all the seniors. It also gives the underclassmen a chance not only to appreciate their classmates, but also to inspire them to work hard and look forward to senior year.

The event was exciting for both seniors and underclassmen. Allison Siegel (CO 2019) said that it was “really nice to see everyone so happy.” She added, “Going through this process we all really have to help each other and I think that being able to help each other and then seeing the product of all the hard work was really a special experience.” Another senior, Patrick Smith (CO 2019) shared this view by saying, “It was a great experience to see the achievements of my classmates and being able to celebrate what we (CO 2019) have all worked for.”

Not only was the experience a nice recognition for the seniors it was also beneficial to the underclassmen of the school as well. According to Josie Cannon (CO 2021) the college decisions assembly was “a nice reveal to see where everyone is going to college.” Cannon also added that it “shows that hard work pays off.”

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Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were originally founded in the United States to allow black Americans the opportunity to pursue higher level education. Attending these universities was essentially the only way to receive a college education as a black American. However, today these universities and colleges exist in a time where schools are no longer segregated. Nonetheless, they are wonderful places where students can be surrounded by their culture, empowered, and supported.


The PRISM Press
