Wednesday marks World Read Aloud Day, and teachers and staff at St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf in Throgs Neck make sure every year their kids get to participate.

The school made it a special day for their students as readers and speakers from many different backgrounds visited the school, reading to them and also sharing their own personal stories.

Officer Angel Familia, who works in the NYPD’s Community Affairs Bureau, is deaf. He followed his colleagues up with sign language as they read to the students.

“They need to see that they're are deaf adults, its something they can become, so if they can get an experience today to see that 'I can become a successful reader myself, because I hear their story' then that's the goal,” said Debra Arles, executive director of the school.

Along with NYPD members, representatives from the Bronx district attorney’s office, local businesses and nonprofits came to give students more perspective.