This mixed-methods study researches the effects of the implementation of a STEM-garden curriculum as part of collaboration between a non-profit organization and two public schools. This study seeks to understand the processes and funding generated through this partnership between a private and public organization, as well as to evaluate how students and classroom teachers are influenced by the STEM-garden curriculum. In order to capture these dynamics, interviews, assessments, and a Transformative Experience Measurement (TEM) tool were used to collect data to provide information for the research questions. This study involves two public LAUSD schools and one private non-profit organization called EnrichLA. The researcher developed a STEM-garden curriculum to align with the foundational structure of lesson plans already constructed by EnrichLA's curriculum developers. These lesson plans were expanded upon to develop a six-week STEM-garden curriculum implemented with public elementary school students in grades Pre-K through sixth. Findings suggest that teachers and students experienced significant shifts in their understanding of engineering, as well as science when measured both quantitatively and qualitatively. This study discovered that students have similar stereotypical notions of science and engineering that shifted to less stereotypical after participating in the STEM-garden lessons. Implications and recommendations are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]