Wang Yaohui (fourth from left), co-founder and chairman of the Chinese American School, a chain of five weekend Chinese-language instruction schools in the greater Washington area, presents an appreciation award to Anthony Sims (fifth from right), martial arts teacher, at the 10th anniversary gala in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The schools' other three co-founders - Huang He (third from left), Zuo Yixin (fifth from left), and Xia Xiangbo (second from right) - looked on. Cai Chunying / China Daily

For Wang Yaohui, a scientist in the Washington DC area, one of his highest missions always falls on Saturday afternoon when the school bell rings for Chinese classes, just as it has for the past decade.

"To promote Chinese culture, including the language, is one of the ultimate goals of my life," Wang, a biologist with the National Institutes of Health, told China Daily at the American Chinese School's 10-year anniversary celebration on Feb 15 in Maryland.

Wang's inspiration for founding the school came from his own concerns that his sons Geoffrey and Eric were not that interested in learning Mandarin. The schools they had tried were too rigid, said Wang, who came to the US for post-doctorial research in 1990 from the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, one of the most prominent hospitals in China.

In 2004, when Wang attended the 10th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing as an overseas representative, he discussed his idea for a new school and got an encouraging response.

Wang co-founded the American Chinese School in Rockville, Maryland in 2005 with Huang He, Xia Xiangbo and Zuo Yixin.

The school later expanded to five campuses in Maryland and Virginia. With more than 1,200 students from kindergarten to the 10th grade today it was named the best language school by the Rockville town hall in 2014 and the model school for overseas Chinese education by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office in 2012.

Courses are taught on Chinese writing and speaking, cultural knowledge, calligraphy, martial arts, ink and wash painting and paper-cutting every Saturday.

The school has also hosted summer school for three years, drawing more than 1,000 students, and sponsors the China Cup national speaking contest.

"We follow a flexible method of education to make the teaching process more interactive and interesting," said Zuo, vice-president of the school's Rockville campus and a reporter with a local Chinese-language newspaper.

Zhang Dan, a researcher in public health and former college English teacher from Beijing, became a Chinese teacher at the school in her spare time after sending her son there.

"I was aware that the Chinese education for Chinese Americans is different from the traditional way of teaching," she said. "More cultural background should be provided."

Anthony Sims, a teacher and member of the USA Wushu Kungfu Federation, has taught the Chinese martial art of Wushu in the US for more than 20 years.

"It's my way of giving back, probably the most special thing in my life that I have done," said Sims, one of three internationally certified judges in the US approved by the International Wushu Federation.

Anne Li, 13, said the American Chinese School provided "a comfortable environment" to study and communicate with other Chinese-American peers.

Even though Wang's two sons graduated from the school a while ago, he has decided to continue with his commitment there. "Even when I retire some day, I will continue to volunteer, working with my colleagues at the school just like before," he said.

Sheng Yang in Washington contributed to this story.