Locura de Marzo (March Madness) is an annual worldwide Spanish-language music competition established in 2017 by a Michigan teacher. Thousands of middle- and high-school students participate by voting on 16 top-ranked, current Spanish-language songs in a bracket-style tournament. Middle School Spanish Teacher Diana Niemas said it’s one of her students’ favorite projects.

“The goal is to boost language learning, cultural awareness, and student engagement through authentic music,” explained Ms. Niemas. “With music – rather than basketball – as the backdrop, the voting process is similar to the NCAA’s March Madness.” 

Ms. Niemas set up a large bulletin board in her classroom that featured the tournament bracket, and, after watching a short promo video that previewed a variety of songs, students completed their brackets. Over several weeks, the class listened to the competing tracks, discussed the artists, explored cultural connections, and analyzed lyrics and themes by rating elements such as the message, rhythm, vocals, and overall quality of each song and video. 

Greta Craig ’30 said, “I really loved the diversity of music in this project! We listened to rock, pop, country, and indie music.” She added, “I learned how similar music is, even in different languages, and how interesting some of the rhymes are in Spanish-language songs.”

Brady Webb ’30 was “intrigued to see the variety of songs and their key messages, many following the theme of love.” He added, “I was astonished when I heard the voice of Luck Ra during his song ‘Vuela.’ His voice is phenomenal … I have found a new artist to follow!”

All Spartans take Spanish classes, starting in junior kindergarten and continuing through Upper School. Spanish-language class projects (many of which are cross-disciplinary) run the gamut from art to cooking lessons to Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. Language lessons and the projects they inspire align with Steward’s core values of academic achievement and inspiration.  

Ms. Niemas said, “What makes the Locura de Marzo experience so special is the energy it brings to the classroom. Students become deeply invested in the competition, eagerly anticipating each voting round. Many even add songs from the tournament to their personal playlists and discover new artists beyond the competition.” She added, “Locura de Marzo builds community, sparks meaningful cultural conversations, and reminds us that music is a universal language.”