About Us

Casper Lippman

I am a senior at the Collegiate School in New York City, where I’ve attended since kindergarten. In school, I’m interested in languages and literature. I also work as a summer camp counselor and enjoy wrestling and running triathlons.

Ryan Keum

I am a sophomore at Regis High School in New York City, an all-boys Catholic school. I enjoy studying Latin, History, and Theology in school. I also wrestle competitively and enjoy reading and working out.

The Idea for DICTA- Casper Lippman

Learn to Read Latin — Andrew Keller and Stephanie Russell

An introductory Latin textbook, teaching Latin grammar, vocabulary, syntax, and reading through increasingly complex passages. Strong emphasis on developing the ability to read Latin directly rather than relying entirely on translation.

Hanna Kantowitz

Hannah was a founding member of DICTA. She graduated from Grace Church School in 2026 and currently studies Computer Science at Cornell.

Avaan Chamadia

Need Bio

When I started my high-school Latin curriculum, I used to cram-study vocabulary ahead of deadlines and tests.

In 2024, I started working with my friend Hannah Kantowitz to develop the DICTA app.

We sought to create a mobile application that would offer optimized versions of my favorite study methods (flashcards, audio recordings, etc.), as well as novel study methods, such as digital handwriting memorization (“draw mode”).

After over a year of multifaceted teamwork, our team has turned DICTA into a powerful study tool.

In addition to refining and further developing DICTA, we are currently looking to expand its content to cover more textbooks and to publish it in more schools.

Textbooks

(where our Vocabulary is from)

Learn to Read Greek — Andrew Keller and Stephanie Russell

An introductory Ancient Greek textbook that presents basic Greek grammar and vocabulary while giving students practice reading authentic and adapted Greek texts. It is designed to build both grammatical understanding and reading fluency.

Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata — Hans Henning Ørberg

A course that teaches Latin almost entirely through Latin itself. Students learn vocabulary and grammar from context, illustrations, and increasingly sophisticated readings rather than through English translation. Its two main parts progress from beginner-level Latin to readings based on classical authors.