BATON ROUGE — Northdale Academy honored its foundational leadership today by officially naming its school gymnasium after founding principal Leroy Helire Jr.

The dedication ceremony brought together educators, students and community members to recognize Helire’s longstanding influence on the Baton Rouge campus. School officials credited his steady guidance with establishing an enduring standard of leadership that continues to shape student success decades after his tenure began.

Reflecting on the honor, Helire turned the spotlight back toward the campus community.

"You work so many years, and then when you look back and find that your school is still going on, and the kids and the teachers, it's just a success story, and it's because of the students and the teachers," Helire said.

The milestone naming ceremony serves a dual purpose for the school, also marking Northdale Academy’s 40th anniversary of serving Baton Rouge students and families.